


A World of Fiction

by SweetMemories1998



Category: Winx Club
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2017-06-10
Packaged: 2018-09-01 08:13:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 33
Words: 185,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8616406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetMemories1998/pseuds/SweetMemories1998
Summary: Flora was never who she said she was, she had lied to them about everything. When the truth was revealed, the Winx found out there was so much more to their world than they ever knew.While fighting off the Trix and Selina, a new enemy more powerful and dangerous arrived. The Winx were sent to a different reality. Could they find their way back home? Flora X Helia, Aisha X Nabu, Daphne X Thoren. All couples included. Set in Season 6





	1. Secrets

**Author's Note:**

> Heey, people. I'm new to this fandom, so please, go easy on me. This story is a Mix between Winx Club, Once Upon a Time and Reign. You'll see why in a few chapters.  
> First thing you should know is that Nabu will have never died, so there will be Aisha X Nabu scenes. Daphne will be a part of it too and there will be Daphne X Thoren.  
> This story will take place in season 6, so some scenes will be taken from the episodes. I think that's all. Hope you enjoy!

It was a beautiful morning, the sun was shining and the weather was pleasant. In the planet known as Domino, three figures were sitting on the table having breakfast, as usual. Queen Marion sat near a window, her long red hair in its usual style. She was happily looking at her youngest daughter, Bloom. The princess of Domino was telling her parents about the party they had been planning to welcome home her older sister, Daphne. Daphne had been cursed to be a spirit, a soul without a body, for over twenty years, but now she was finally free. Their family was reunited and they were all happy about it.

Things hadn't been easy ever since Daphne had come back home. She had been used to being invisible and able to pass through walls and doors, so it had been hard for her to get used to being corporeal. Bloom had tried her best to make her sister feel at home, but she wasn't there yet. After all, it had only been two months since Bloom had broken the Sirenix curse and she had been brought back to life.

Just as Bloom was about to mention to her parents how she thought Daphne just needed more time to get used to being her old self, they heard a stomping sound and then a groan. Bloom quickly ran towards the door to check out what it was and she found Daphne. The blonde haired fairy was wearing green pants with a shirt of the same color and a light green scarf. Bloom helped her up and led her to their table.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Their parents welcomed their oldest daughter. Daphne returned their smile, but it soon disappeared when she tried to sit on the chair assigned to her and ended up falling to the ground, again. Bloom quickly helped her up and told her it was okay, but she didn't seem to think it. She ran towards the door and managed to open it after a few tries and then she was gone.

"I just don't understand what's going on with her." King Oritel told his wife and daughter, looking confused.

"I think I do. I'll go talk to her." Bloom told her parents and then she ran after Daphne. She found her older sister at the balcony outside her room. Daphne was leaning on her arm as she stared at the landscape before her.

"Daphne." Bloom made her presence known. Daphne looked at her and sighed before avoiding her eyes.

"I'm really sorry, Bloom. I just can't get used to it." Bloom walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know this is still all new to you, but you'll get used to it in time. You shouldn't be so upset about the mistakes you're making, everything will be alright." Daphne sighed once again.

"I just don't see how it will be. I think that I've lost my powers and without them, I don't know who I am anymore." Bloom understood her sister's concern. If she ever lost her powers, she wouldn't know who she was either.

"I understand that. But right now you should focus on having fun at the party we're planning for you today." At the mention of the party, Daphne groaned. She was in no mood to party.

"Come on!" Bloom persuaded her." It will be fun. Everyone's gonna be there, the royals of all the Magic Dimension and the Winx and Specialists. They came all the way here just for you. They all want you to be happy, Daphne." This time Daphne couldn't help but smile as she thought of how amazing Bloom's friends were. Flora, Stella and Aisha had visited them during the summer and they all treated Daphne like an old friend. They talked, joked, laughed and taught her everything there was to know about fashion, nature and sports. Flora, specially, was really kind to her and she soon learned that she was caring and loving by nature.

She was broken from her thoughts by a loud noise and when she looked up, she saw a huge spaceship and 6 flying motorbikes. "Come on, Daphne." Bloom urged her and they both ran out of the balcony, down the stairs and towards the gate of the palace. Just as they arrived, the Winx started walking out of the ship.

Stella walked out first, wearing her blue ball gown with her golden hair loose. She immediately ran towards her now fiancée, Brandon, who opened his arms wide and embraced her. The couple shared a passionate kiss before pulling apart. Then she looked around at the rest of the specialists and Daphne. "Hey there, Daphne. Ready to party?" She excitedly asked Daphne and the other girl smiled at her. Soon all eyes were caught to Aisha.

The dark skinned fairy had some trouble coming out of the ship due to her large stomach. She wore a beautiful yellow gown with matching heels. Nabu, her husband, quickly walked over to her and helped her. She gave him a grateful smiled which soon turned into a grimace as she moaned in pain while holding her stomach. "Aisha, are you sure you're okay?" Nabu worriedly asked as he looked deeply at her. She had been feeling pain for a while now and he was really worried. She breathed once the pain stopped and looked smiled at him, trying to ease his worries. " I'm okay, Nabu. These fake contractions suck, that's all." She told him and he looked suspiciously at her but then decided to let it go.

Next came Musa and Tecna. The blue haired fairy wore an orange gown while the pink haired fairy wore a light green one. Being the closest friends amongst the group, Tecna had spent a few weeks at Musa's house, on Melody. Both girls had had a great time on the musical planet and they had fun watching their boyfriends try to get along. Said boyfriends were now smiling at the two fairies as the two couples met each other. Musa and Riven kissed just as passionately as Stella and Brandon, much to everyone's surprise. Their relationship was a complicated one, but after he changed his attitude and sang a song to her declaring his feelings, they had become closer. Tecna and Timmy had never had much relationship problems, so everything was good between them. They hugged each other tightly, not liking to show much affection in public.

Flora was the last one to come out. Wearing a turquoise gown with her hair let loose, she looked beautiful. She smiled at her friends a warm, kind smile. Daphne felt warmer, happier and less nervous just from that smile. It was amazing how the nature fairy had the ability to make others feel better with just a smile. Her now fiancée, Helia, looked at her with love and adoration. He walked towards her and then kneeled in front of her. At first she seemed surprised at his actions, but then she smiled and shook her head.

"My lady, you look absolutely ravishing." He complimented her and she laughed at his formal tone.

"Why thank you, sir. I must say you look very handsome yourself." Everyone stopped whatever they were doing to watch the adorable couple. Some laughed at their antics, but mostly watched. The two were barely conscious of the people around them, so lost in each other. His blue eyes bore into her emerald ones before he took her smaller hand in his and kissed it. After that, he stood up and they hugged each other tightly.

"Okay, I can't take it any longer!" Stella screamed, startling everyone. Flora and Helia pulled apart and gave her a confused look as well as the others. "I need to see that ring!" The blonde cheerfully said as she approached Flora.

"Yeah. I had almost forgotten about it." Musa commented as she, Tecna and Bloom approached the nature fairy as well. Aisha followed them a few seconds later, after another fake contraction.

They had all heard the news that Flora and Helia had (finally) gotten engaged, but since they were busy with their own lives, hadn't talked to the couple about it yet. Truthfully, it had been only about two weeks since the proposal and the couple themselves were still getting used to it.

"Wow!" Stella said as the girls crowded around Flora to check out the ring. "It's beautiful." Aisha told her. The ring was silver with a small pink flower. It was perfect for Flora and the girls were pleased at Helia's choice. After gushing about it for a few minutes, they went to congratulate Helia and threaten him in case he ever hurt Flora. The specialist had been friends with them for years, so he was used to them being protective of each other.

A round of congratulations from everyone followed and then their attention turned to Daphne, star of the evening. "My goodness, Daphne. There's no way you can go to this party like this." Stella complained and the girls shared knowing looks. It was time for fashion. Stella grabbed Daphne's arm and led her inside the castle while the girls followed her. The specialists went to the ballroom where the party would be held in an hour.

Reaching Daphne's room, Stella finally let her go. The nymph sat on her bed and looked a bit confused at the six girls. "Okay, so what would be the perfect outfit for you?" Stella muttered to herself as the Winx watched her with amused expressions on their faces.

"What's wrong with this outfit?" Daphne asked as she stood up. Stella gave her an incredulous look and then a horrified expression came to her face. "Are you kidding me? Don't you know anything about a royal party?" Then she shook her head and went back to muttering to herself.

"Here, this will be your new phone. It has everything you'll need and you won't believe the apps!" Tecna told Daphne as she handed the nymph a purple cellphone. Daphne barely had time to look at it before Stella once again grabbed her arm and forced her to stand up. There was a flash of light and then Daphne found herself wearing a beautiful green dress with a blue skirt.

"Thank you, Stella. It's beautiful." She told the sun fairy, who smiled at her. Then her attention went back to Flora.

"So, Flo, now that everyone's ready for this party, it's time for you to tell us everything." She screamed with excitement and then sat down by the nature fairy's side.

"Tell you what?" Flora gave her a confused look.

"About the proposal, of course. How did it go?" Musa asked her. Everyone then crowded around her, Bloom and Stella sat by her side on the bed and Tecna, Musa and Daphne sat on chairs they had conjured. They looked at her in anticipation until a moan reminded them that Aisha hadn't sat down.

"Aisha, are you okay?" Bloom asked her worriedly. The dark skinned fairy was once again with her hands on her stomach as a pained look was on her face. This time she didn't try to ease their worries.

"You know, I'm starting to think maybe these aren't fake contractions anymore." She told her friends as she sat on a chair once the pain was gone.

"Wait, so what you're saying is that you think that the baby's coming?" Stella asked with wide eyes as she stared at her friends. They all started freaking out.

"I don't know. It's just that they're coming with less time apart than usual." Aisha told them after they managed to calm down.

"You're right. Their time apart has been about 10 minutes, while usually fake contractions should come every 30 minutes." Tecna told them as she looked at her phone.

"Then maybe we should take you to the nurse." Bloom said and Flora and Musa nodded their heads in agreement. Aisha didn't.

"No, girls. Even if I am having the baby, this will take a while, so there's no use in going to the nursen yet. Besides, I don't want you to give up on this party to keep watching me, because I know you will. We'll just go the party and have fun and I'll ask Nabu to keep an eye on me." They agreed to that and then the conversation went back to Flora and Helia's engagement. The nature fairy had a dreamy look on her face as she recalled the romantic night when Helia asked her to marry him.

Two weeks earlier...

Helia had been staying at Flora's house for a few weeks. Ever since they had rekindled their relationship after the Krystal issue, things had been better than ever. Helia had followed her home and they had spent wonderful weeks together and with her family. Her parents had always loved him and Miele happily accepted him, though she hadn't been there. She had spent her summer at Limphea College, where she would soon start studying to become a fairy. Flora and her parents were proud of her for managing to go there and they missed her like crazy while she was away.

One night, while her parents were out for dinner, Flora and Helia had gone on a romantic picnic near the famous Waterfalls of Limphea, one of the most beautiful sceneries on the planet. They had eaten a wonderful dinner with chocolate covered strawberries for dessert. She hadn't been surprised, after all, Helia was always romantic. She was used to his sweet words, poems, drawings and small gifts. But she had felt that something was different that night. She knew him well enough to realize that behind his smile he was nervous. She didn't understand why, though.

"Hey, is everything okay?"She had asked him and he told her that he was fine, but she didn't buy it. Something was wrong and she started getting worried.

"So, would you like to dance?" He then asked her and extended his hand. She gladly took it and they danced to the sounds of nature. She had always enjoyed being close to nature, it wasn't just her power, it was a deep part of her since she was a child. But even nature couldn't distract her.

"Seriously, Helia, I know that something is not right. Could you please tell me because I'm getting worried here?" She asked him and he smiled at her.

"My love, I can promise you that everything's alright."He told her firmly.

"Then why do you seem to be so nervous? Are you okay?" He laughed and she started getting a bit angry. Why was he hiding something from her?

"You are such an amazing person, Flora. Not just because you're beautiful and kind, but you always pay attention to the smallest details and you're always willing to help others. That's one of the things I love most about you." Her anger was gone with such sweet words. How could he know exactly what to say?

"I appreciate the compliment, but you still haven't told me what's going on." He laughed once again at her unusual impatience, but after everything they had gone through her worries were completely justified.

"I'm just nervous about something." She stared at him, waiting for an explanation, but nothing came. Instead, he turned around and walked away from her. Now she was getting mad again. Why had he left her? The answer came a few seconds later when he came back with a beautiful bouquet of white roses, her favorite flower. He handed her the bouquet and she eyed him suspiciously before taking it. She smelled the flowers and smiled as the sweet perfume filled her with peace. Then as she looked closer at the bouquet, she noticed something right in the center. Her heart started beating fast as she realized it was a ring. She turned back to Helia in order to ask him about it and noticed he was kneeling in front of her. She stood there frozen as he started to speak.

"For three years you have made me happier than I ever was. I knew from the first moment I met you that you were special and I decided that I had to know you. I was absolutely right, you are special. Your kind heart and undying love for your friends and family are something I had never seen before. You have taught me to love, Flora, and I'm grateful for it. Everyday I think about how you've stolen my heart with just a single glance the day we first met. I want to make you as happy as you make me and I want us to spend the rest of our lives together. Being a romantic myself, I have always believed that there would be someone who I was meant to be with and I have no doubt that that person is you. You are my life, my soulmate, my everything. Will you marry me?" Tears streamed down her face as she felt her heart jump. She was used to sweet speeches from him, but not like this. It took her a few moments to answer his question for she was lost in her own emotions.

"Yes." The word was so silent he barely heard it. He laughed and stood up. Taking her smaller hand in his, he placed the ring there. Both stared at the piece of jewerly for a moment before looking back at each other and smiling. This moment was so perfect and romantic, just as he had wanted it. They kissed passionately, lovingly and happily under the stars.

"Wow. Helia's so romantic!" Bloom said as she looked happily at her friend. Flora hadn't stopped smiling the whole time she told them the story, she felt like she was living a dream.

"It's not as if we didn't know that, but this time he outdid himself." Stella told them. "I should ask him to give my Brandon some advice, because he sure knows how to make a girl happy." The others nodded.

"I think Riven could learn a thing or two from him. It's true that our relationship has been better than ever, but he's not exactly the romantic type." Musa commented, a bit sadly. She wasn't much of a romantic either, but every girl likes a guy that can pull off sweet gestures like Helia's proposal.

"I'll ask Helia to talk to them. It's amazing how well he knows me, he did it exactly the way I would've liked." Flora said with a dreamy look on her face.

"Oh god. Girls, look at the time." They all looked at Tecna, who held her phone as she had a worried look on her face. She showed them the phone where they read it was half past one. The party had started half an hour ago.

"We have to go." Bloom told them exasperatedly as she grabbed Daphne and all of them left the room. Flora, however, stayed on the bed. Aisha, being the last one to leave, noticed that the nature fairy was still there and looked at her a bit concerned. "Flora, aren't you coming?" Her words were punctuated by sharp breaths as she was hit with another contraction.

"Yes, I'll be there in a few minutes. You can go." Flora reassured her and Aisha knew that meant she wanted to be alone for now. So she gave the nature fairy a smile before leaving the room to find Nabu and warn him that their child was coming sooner than they expected.

Once she was alone in the room, Flora stood up and went to the balcony. She looked outside and the smile that was on her face as she thought about Helia disappeared. She sighed before taking off the necklace she was wearing. It was silver with a red heart in the middle. She had told the girls that she had gotten it from her parents a long time ago. It wasn't a complete lie, she thought as she opened the heart. Inside there were two pictures. She looked closely at the one on the right. It was a picture of a young man with short blonde hair, brown eyes and caramel skin. He was smiling in the picture. Her eyes filled with tears as she thought of him, how much she missed him.

"Oh, Will, I miss you." She whispered to herself. It was so heard to deal with this alone, having no one she could talk about it. Of course she trusted her friends, but these secrets she had kept could destroy their relationship and she didn't want that. She stayed there for a few more minutes, silently crying and remembering things until she decided it was enough. She put back the necklace, dried her tears and walked back int the room and then towards the ballroom.

Little did she know, the truth would be exposed soon and everything would change.


	2. Welcome to the World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second part of 3X01. Flora and Helia dance, Aisha and Nabu have their child, an old face returns, Daphne catches the attention of a mysterious stranger and the Trix crash the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, I wanna thank everyone who read the first chapter and gave me hits (still not getting exactly what that means). This chapter turned out way longer than I planned, but you know how it is when your imagination just runs wild. I hope you'll enjoy this one and tell me what you think in your comments. It's important to me to know what you think.

"There you are!" Aisha screamed as she finally spotted Nabu on a table near Timmy and Riven outside the castle. She had been searching for him for twenty minutes and the frustration of not finding him added up to that of the pain these contractions were causing her. She was a volcano ready to explode.

"Hey, Aisha. Is everything okay? Nabu asked, always worried. After all, when your girlfriend's a powerful fairy always aiding in the destruction of dangerous enemies and also pregnant, you can't help but worry.

"I have been searching for you for ages. Where the hell have you been?" She looked at him angrily and suspiciously, her arms crossed against her chest and eyebrows raised. He took one look at her and realized he needed to be careful with his choice of words because she wasn't in a good mood. Riven, however, didn't seem to realize that.

"Calm down, tiger. We've been here all this time. You and the Winx are the ones who disappeared." The maroon haired specialist told Aisha. Timmy and Nabu shared worried looks, knowing these weren't the correct words. The water fairy shot daggers at the maroon haired specialist.

"What did you just call me?" Her angry blue eyes stared at him and Nabu quickly intervened.

"What Riven means is that he was getting worried since you girls hadn't come to the you're here now, so it's okay." Aisha kept staring at him, but then her attention went back to their child, who chose that moment to kick her hard as if reminding her of what she needed to tell him. She suppressed a moan and then sighed.

"Okay, that doesn't really matter anymore." The three man shared surprised look at how easily she conceded. "We have more pressing matters." That caught Nabu's attention. His eyes filled with worry once again, but she spoke up before he could ask about said matters. "I'm in labor." Those three words had them looking at her with dumb looks in their faces as it took them a while for the meaning to sink in.

"The baby's coming?!" Nabu asked her with wide eyes. She nodded her head in confirmation as she was hit with another contraction just then. "Oh My! What do I do now? You should lie down! Should I get you something to eat or drink?" Nabu started freaking out and Aisha watched him for a while, thinking it was adorable. Then she held his arm and tried to calm him down.

"Nabu, calm down. Seriously, you're the sweetest, but you don't have to freak out." He stopped talking and looked at her smiling face. "All you have to do is try to distract me from the pain. Tell me stories or jokes." He nodded. That he could do. "Oh and we should keep track of my contractions. From what my mother told me during one of our conversations about pregnancy, when they start coming every 4 minutes I should find the nurse." She shivered as she remembered one of the many conversations her mother had had with her. It had brought her relationship with her parents to a new level of awkwardness. Her words had a calming effect on Nabu, for he stopped freaking out.

"Okay then. Now, would you like to dance? I know that's the best way of distracting you." She smiled at him and took his extended hand and the couple went for the dance floor. Riven and Timmy looked at them as they walked and then burst out laughing.

"Man, those two are hilarious." Riven commented once they recovered. Timmy nodded his head in agreement. Tecna and Musa showed up just then and they looked at their boyfriends in confusion.

"What are you two laughing at?" Musa asked the two laughing boys.

"Aisha and Nabu. They were just here." Timmy said and the two girls looking at them knowingly. They had had their share of fun by watching Aisha being crazy while pregnant and Nabu trying to deal with her. If it weren't for the mood swings, they would say they loved pregnant Aisha.

"We had our fun too. Too bad it will be over since the baby's coming." Musa said and she frowned a bit at the last part.

"Yeah, now things will get complicated. I mean, with a baby, everything will truly change." Tecna commented and they started thinking about how much things would change. Aisha and Nabu would have less time to spend with their friends and they wouldn't be able to go on missions. It would be hard to get used to their absence.

"Heeyy, people! What're you doing?" Said none other than Stella as she came along with Brandon not far behind.

"Just talking about Nabu and Aisha." Tecna responded. "How everything's gonna change now that they'll become parents." Stella frowned as the same thoughts crossed her mind. Then she shook it off.

"Well, that's enough talking about sad stuff. Now it's time for us to have fun and dance." She jumped excitedly and grabbed Musa by her arm, helping her stand up. "Come on, people, this is a party!" Then she grabbed Riven and made him stand up as well.

"Hey!" The maroon specialist complained, but Stella barely paid him attention. Spotting Bloom and Daphne as their parents were introducing them with everyone paying attention to the king and queen of Domino, she let go of Riven. "Guess dancing will have to wait a bit." The others looked towards where she was staring at and stood up when they saw Bloom abd Daphne. They walde towards the crowd and stood by Sky's side. The blonde prince barely payed them attention for he was too busy staring at Bloom.

Meanwhile, with Flora

Before meeting Helia, Flora stopped by the bathroom to dry off her tears. The last thing she wanted was to bring everyone's mood down when they found out that she had been crying. Reaching the ballroom, she didn't see any of her friends there, so she assumed they'd have gone outside. She walked towards the gardens and easily spotted Timmy, Riven and Nabu near a table. She waved at them and they returned it.

Since her main priority was finding her fiancée, she kept looking. It didn't take her long to find him near a fountain that was located next to a bush filled with white roses. As she approached him, he suddenly turned around as if sensing she was near. He gave her a smile and she smiled back after she noticed the white rose he was holding. Once again memories of the night he had proposed to her filled her mind and her smile grew.

"Hey, beautiful." Helia said once she was close to him. He took her hand and gave it another gentle kiss. Then he pulled her closer for a passionate kiss she gladly returned. When they pulled apart, she noticed that the bautiful rose he had been holding was now moulded. He saw her looking at it and frowned. "I was meant to give it to you, but I got distracted by your beauty." He gave her a sly smile and she shook her head while laughing.

"Thank you anyway." She responded as she took the rose from his hand. She pulled it closer to her face in order to smell it. It was incredibly how the simple smell of white roses had the ability to make her feel calm and tranquil, all anger gone. More flashbacks of the boy with brown eyes filled her mind as she remembered how he had always known that white roses were the only way to calm her down. Helia noticed the sad look on her face and held her hand.

"Are you okay?" He asked and she looked into his midnight blue eyes. How she wished she could tell him everything. They were engaged for god's sake, having been together for over 4 years. She owned it to him. But she still couldn't. If she wanted to keep this relationship, lying was the only way.

" Yeah, I am. It's just..." He interrupted her.

"I know, Flora." Now she was confused. What did he know? Panick began building up inside of her until he spoke again and she sighed in relief. "It's August the 4th today. The day you lost your grandma. I haven't forgotten when you told me about it." At least that was what she had told him. She was glad that her lying skills had improved over the years.

"You know me so well. I was just thinking about her, so that's why I was sad. But I'm better now that I'm with you." He smiled at her last statement.

"If you'd like a minute, I'll go get us some drinks." She shook her head. The last thing she wanted was to be alone now.

"No, stay with me. Distract me." She told him and he nodded.

"Okay. Would you like to dance?" She nodded and they headed to the dance floor. A slow song was playing as they saw Aisha and Nabu attempting to dance together. Helia took her waist and she put her arms around his shoulder. They danced for a few minutes until Bloom and Daphne showed up, followed by their parents and the speeches started.

"Your majesties, ladies and gentleman, please welcome Princess Daphne of Domino." King Oritel said as everyone cheered. Daphne showed up in the beautiful dress Stella had made her, a shy smile on her face as she waved at the crowd. She missed the man with brown hair and green eyes who was watching her amongst the crowd, mesmerized by her beauty. (guess who that is)

"I'm so happy to be home again, and I can't wait to get to know all of you." The blonde princess said as many people approached her. Then all of sudden there was evil laughter and three familiar figures showed up. The Winx exchanged glances from all around the room as they figured soon it would be time to transform.

"Hello, Daphne. Looks like a party and you didn't invite us." Icy said with a fake hurt expression. "But we brought you a present anyways." She continued and a monster appeared from behind the Trix. It was huge and dangerous looking, so the Winx wasted no time in transforming. Aisha, having been hit with another contraction, was soon guided by Nabu towards the entrance of the palace. Chaos was all around them as people tried to escape the terrible monster and the Trix. Daphne, having no powers, was an easy target for the Trix, so Bloom urged her father and Sky to protect her.

The Winx converged in an attempt to destroy the monster, but it was as if it didn't even feel their magic. That wasn't a promising sight. Then it was the specialists turn. Timmy shot the monster and Helia tried wrapping his laser strings around it's legs. It didn't work and soon it lunged forward, almost getting Musa, who was closest to it.

"Musa!" Riven screamed worriedly, but the music fairy was faster than the monster and she managed to escape it's open mouth. But in escaping from it's mouth, she missed the tail that was coming her way and she was thrown off into a pillar, hitting her head hard and began falling, unconscious. Riven quickly ran towards her and managed to catch her before she fell to the ground. He picked the injured fairy into his arms and checked her pulse to make sure that she was alive. Sighing in relief once he realized that she was breathing, he focused his attention on waking her up.

"Musa, Musa. Wake up, please. I need to know that you're okay." There was only silence and he started getting desperate.

"Flowering shield." Riven looked up to see Flora standing near him with Helia close to her as the nature fairy conjured a shield to protect herself, him and Musa. He then saw that Darcy was floating over them and she had an angry look on her face.

"Stupid fairy! One more second and she would have been toast!" She roared at the nature fairy and then she shot another spell at her. This one was so strong that Flora's shield couldn't stop it and she was hit hard. She was thrown off just like Musa, but Helia quickly caught her before she hit anything.

"Are you okay?" He asked her worriedly. She nodded her head before trying to sit up. She groaned from the movement and Helia understood that she was injured. He signed for Riven to followed him and the two carried their injured girlfriends towards the castle. Darcy tried hitting them with another spell, but Tecna quickly showed up with another shield.

"Hey Bloom." Stormy was telling the fire fairy as she tried to protect her sister. The witch cast a spell towards her, but Oritel repelled it with a quick swing of his sword. Stormy was thrown away and that gave Bloom enough time to tell everyone they had to get inside, so they could regroup and plan a way to defeat the monster. They all ran towards the door, the first being Stella, who had been left alone to fight the monster with only Brandon's help. Once everyone was safely inside, they sighed in relief.

"Wait. What happened to Musa and Flora?" Bloom asked once she noticed her best friends were lying on their boyfriend's arms.

"Musa was hit by the monster and she hit her head hard. Flora took a blow from Darcy as she tried to defend us." Riven explained as he looked at his girlfriend worriedly. There was blood coming from her head and he worried she might have a concussion.

"But I'm okay." Flora was quick to end her friend's worrying as she managed to sit up this time, a pained expression on her face. Helia cast her another worried look, but before he could tell her she was clearly not okay, a familiar face appeared amongst the crowd as she approached them. It was Princess Krystal of Limphea and Helia's childhood friend. She had unintentionally been the cause of some major problems in Flora and Helia's relationship the previous year. However, once everything was solved, she had become good friends with the nature fairy and so she came to help her once again.

"Here, let me heal you." Flora smiled at her as she kneeled besides her and concentrated before she glowed. Flora instantly felt better and grateful for the princess's help.

" Thank you, Krystal." The pink haired girl nodded and smiled back at her.

"No problem. It's the least I can do after everything I caused last year." She frowned as she remembered how the beautiful couple in front of her had almost broken up because of her. Then she smiled again as she looked at them. "Also, congratulations, you two, on your engagement." Flora was surprised to get congratulations from her. It was true that the two girls had developed a friendship, but she didn't think it Krystal would be happy that she was marrying Helia.

"Thanks." Helia answered for the both of them. Then there was a scream.

"Oh My Good." It was Aisha. She and Nabu were on a corner of the room as he held her tight. A pained expression was on both of their faces: hers due to another contraction and his due to how strongly she was holding his hand. "Sorry, this just kills." The brown haired girl told them once the pain had subdued.

"I think it's time for her to go to the infirmary." Nabu told them as he massaged his hand, having pulled it from Aisha's.

"How far apart are her contractions?" Tecna asked him.

"About four minutes." Nabu answered.

"Then it's definitely time to take her there." The technology fairy told him and then Bloom told them she'd guide them towards the infirmary. She came back a few minutes later, just as the ceiling began to shake due to the monster's strength as it tried to enter the palace.

"Wow." Sky said as he walked away from the door.

"Daphne, are you okay?" Bloom asked once she noticed her sobbing sister. Daphne looked at her sadly, tears glistening.

"I froze. I didn't move, I didn't even run." She sorrowfully told her sister as she mentally kicked herself for acting so defenceless. What happened to the brave and courageous nymph who had fought the ancestral witches? Daphne was having trouble being back to her old form because she wasn't her old self anymore.

"It's okay, Daphne. It can happen to anyone." Bloom tried to comfort her sister as Riven turned back to the others.

"What is that thing?" No one knew the answer to his question or the next.

"And how do we beat it?" Musa asked. There was silence for a few seconds until Daphne spoke again.

"It's the beast of the depths. It cannot be beaten. It can only be controlled." The blonde princess put her head on her hands as she cried. The girls didn't understand why she seemed so upset.

"Then let's control it!" Stella said excitedly, but Daphne shook her head.

"Only one person can control the beast of the depths." She told them and her face showed absolute panic and sadness. "The nymph of Domino, me. But I've lost my powers and I can't. I just can't." She ran into her mother's arms as she kept crying. That's when Bloom understood just how much Daphne had been suffering. Her heart broke for her older sister as she thought of a way to comfort her. Another rumbling coming from the celing told her this wasn't the time.

"I know Daphne hasn't lost her powers. She just needs to have confidence in herself again." She told her friends firmly. Then all of sudden their sirenix boxes opened. The five girls looks surprisingly at their guardians for they hadn't even asked for their help. Bloom's guardian then told the girls that in order to help Daphne, they would have to go back to the source and find the Inspiration of Sirenix.

"Guess we'll have to go now. But we'll be back and we'll help you connect with your powers again. Daphne." Bloom told her older sister and they shared a hug. The Winx then disappeared and there was only silence. The specialists busied themselves with trying to keep the beast of the depths at bay as Miss Faragonda and Saladin cast a protective spell around the castle.

A few minutes later, the Winx came back with the answer on how to help Daphne. They flew into the balcony of the blonde princess' room for that's where she had been hiding. However, as they got there, they noticed that she wasn't lying on the bed anymore. She was in fact fighting against the beast of the depths, having lured it towards herself in order to protect her family and her kingdom. Bloom felt her heart swell with pride as she watched her older sister fight the enemy even without her magic.

"Go away, Bloom. You'll get hurt." She screamed at the fire fairy as she gave Bloom a panicked look. "Let the beast take me." Bloom immediately shook her head.

"No way!" She screamed as the Winx surrounded her. Then they took each other hands and started glowing a bright yellow light.

"You can do it, Daphne." Flora said as she gave her a comforting smile.

"Yes." Tecna added.

"Don't be afraid." Stella said.

"Believe in yourself." They all added together and Daphne couldn't help but cry out again, but this time of happiness. She felt so glad that she had such amazing people that had faith in her and helped her. This gave her enough confidence to believe in herself. But before she could thank them, the monster came with a surprise attack,easily sending the winx crashing on the wall and taking Bloom.

"No!" Daphne screamed in despair. She didn't know what to do.

"Daphne, believe in yourself." Bloom screamed and she did so. Daphne disappeared and came back a few seconds later transformed into her sirenix form. She took a moment to glance at her transformation, remembering how she had earned it years ago. A scream from Bloom brought her attention back to the problem at hand.

"Release her." She commanded the beast, who easily complied. "Beast of the depths, I, nymph of Domino, command you to return to the depths and threaten us no more." Soon the monster was gone and she sighed in relief before letting go of her transformation.

"Daphne, you were awesome!" Bloom happily told her as the sisters hugged. They heard clapping and looked down to find most of the guests from the party, having come back to the gardens, were applauding them. They both waved at them before hugging again.

Now that trouble was gone, the party restarted. Musa and Riven went to the stage and performed a new song the fairy of music had written. It was called Wouldn't Change a Thing (from Camp Rock 2. It would be awesome if they sang it on the show). As they sang it, the Winx couldn't help but think just how perfect the song was for the couple. Flora, Helia, Bloom, Sky, Stella and Brandon resumed dancing. Tecna and Timmy went to a table and started eating. Soon, an excited Nabu came to find them. He approached the technology couple first.

"Hey, Nabu, everything alright?" Timmy asked him and the wizard nodded happily.

"Yes, everything's great. Couldn't be better. The baby's here, I thought you'd like to meet her." He told his friends.

" Of course, we'd love to." Tecna answered his question while giving him a big smile. "But I'd like to finish eating first, I haven't eaten in 6 hours and 22 minutes." Nabu nodded and walked towards Flora and Helia,who were closest.

"Hey, guys."

"Hey, how's Aisha?" Flora asked as she and Helia stopped dancing to pay attention to the wizard.

"She's doing great. They both are." There was a look in his face that Flora easily recognized. He was a happy man and in love. Everything anyone would want, everything she wanted. Of course, she was happy with Helia, but she knew that she would never be able to have the kind of happiness Nabu was feeling because guilt would always be behind every single smile.

"That's great, man. I'm happy for you." Helia told the wizard and they shook hands. " Think we could meet the lucky little girl?" He asked then and Flora smiled as she looked at him. He looked just as excited as Nabu with the birth of the wizard's child. It was no surprise to Flora how Helia loved children and she hoped that one day they could have their own.

"Of course. I'll get the others, but you can go." Then the couple was gone. They walked towards the infirmary. Crying could be heard as they got closer. Helia lightly knocked on the door. "Come in." A tired sounding Aisha told them. They entered the room to find her lying in bed with a purple bundle in her arms. She gave them an exhausted smile as she signaled for them to come closer. They approached her and the baby looked at them as they did so. She had blue eyes like her mother and her father's nose.

"Aww. She's so adorable." Flora told her as she smiled softly at the baby. The little girl extended her little arm towards her.

"I think she wants to go with you." Aisha told her with a smile.

" May I?" Flora asked as she extended her arms to pick up the baby. Aisha nodded and she picked up he little girl who didn't cry, surprisingly. As she cradled the baby, Helia couldn't help but watch her as he wished for them to have this moment in the future. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud sound as the door opened again and in came the rest of their friends.

"Where is miss cutie?" Asked none other than Stella as she excitedly looked at Aisha, her face falling once she noticed the baby wasn't with her.

"Look, baby girl, auntie Stella's searching for you." Flora whispered to the baby and their friends looked at her.

"God, you two look so beautiful with that baby!" Musa told Helia and Flora as he was hugging the nature fairy from behind as they both stared at the little girl.

"Yeah." Stella and Bloom agreed. "When are you two gonna present us with a niece or nephew?" The sun fairy asked with a smirk. The others smirked at the two lovebirds as well.

"Don't know. After you and Brandon, that's for sure." Flora gave back as she smirked at the sun fairy and her fiancée. The others laughed as Nabu went over to the bed and sat by Aisha's side, hugging her while she lay her head on his shoulder. They were disturbed by the sound of the baby crying as she extended her hands towards her father.

"Guess you wanna go with daddy, don't you, sweetie?" Flora asked her before kissing her forehead and giving her to Nabu. Once the baby was safely in her father's arms, she stopped crying.

"So, what's her name?" Bloom curiously asked the new parents. They looked at each other and nodded.

"We decided to name her Lana, which means 'calm as still waters.'" Aisha told them with a huge smile.

"That's beautiful." Flora told her and the others nodded. The next few hours were happy ones for the group of twelve as they each got a chance to meet baby Lana. When nighttime came and the little girl was fast asleep, they went to the empty gardens and had a fire with marshmallows and sausages. There was light talking and storytelling. It was quiet and peaceful, the perfect way to end the day. Later they would refer to this day as the calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So,what did you think? Did you like the FloraXHelia conversation? I gave you a few clues there about Will.  
> Did you like the Musa X Riven and Bloom X Daphne parts? I'm planning on making her a part of my story and there will be Daphne X Thoren. Did you like the name for the Aisha X Nabu baby? It is also the name for one of my favorite actresses that plays Regina in Once Upon a Time.
> 
> Also, did you like that I included Krystal in this chapter? She won't be much important, though. Next chapter will be about episode 3 and be prepared for Aisha/Nabu/Lana cuteness and Daphne/Thoren. It should be up by Wednesday.


	3. A chaotic meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 6X03: 10 days after Daphne's welcome back party, the Winx go to Limphea College to meet up with the specialists. Daphne and Thoren finally meet, Flora and Miele reconect, the Trix make a come back and Selina ruins the reunion between the two sisters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there. First of all I would like to thank everyone who's given me hits. Since I'll be making the next few chapters about the episodes of Season 6, the chapters will probably be long like this one. I hope you'll enjoy this one. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS! I LOVE KNOWING WHAT YOU THINK.

10 days after the events of Daphne's welcome back party, the Winx found themselves back at Alfea. Miss. Faragonda had invited them to spend some time there, learning even more about the Magic Dimension and their powers. The headmistresses believed that a fairy's journey was never complete and she knew that having the winx at Alfea would beneficial for all.

Daphne got a position as history of magic teacher and she had been very nervous, but Bloom and the others helped her relax and everything went fine on her first day, except for the fact that the class had been cut short by an attack on Pixie Village, when the Winx had gone there to help their little friends. Unfortunately, it didn't work out so well because both the pixies and trolls that had attacked their home suddenly disappeared. The Winx were now in their dormitory at Alfea as they dealt with the aftermath of a lost battle.

Bloom, Stella and Tecna were sitting on the couches and comfy chairs in the living room of their dorm. Their bonded pixies sat by their sides, looking more worried than ever. The winx tried to calm them down, but it wasn't working.

"Bloom, I'm so worried about the pixies." Lockette was telling the fire fairy.

"Don't worry, Lockette, you'll be back in your village soon." Bloom replied with a comforting smile.

"I hope you're right. I just miss my friends." The pink haired pixie replied and then she smiled for the first time since they came back as Kiko, Bloom's blue bunny, excitedly jumped on the fairy's arms.

"But we're still here, Lockette." Chatta said as she flew towards said fairy and they hugged while laughing. Flora watched her pixie from afar and she laughed too. A little laugh followed hers and she smiled at the small child in her arms.

"Aren't you just the sweetest thing ever, little Lana?" She cooed while rubbing her nose against the baby's forehead, making her laugh again. The other girls awed at them.

"Seriously, Flo, you are so great with children." Aisha said from her spot at the running machine as she was working out.

"Yes, I really think that you and Helia should start thinking about it, you're engaged after all! It's not too soon to start having children." Stella told the nature fairy as she hugged Amore. A frown appeared upon Flora's face. She was getting sick of people suggesting she should start having children. She had her reasons for not wanting children yet, reasons she hadn't told Helia yet. After all, telling him why she wasn't sure if she wanted to become a mother would involve telling him the whole truth and she couldn't do that. Her friends noticed the look and her face and wanted to question it, but before they could, a phone rang.

"Hi, Timmy." Tecna answered it with a smile.

"Hey, Tecna." The orange haired specialist replied. "Red Fountain has sent us for a Training Course at Limphea College, you and the Winx should join us!" He told her excitedly.

"That seems great. What do you think, girls?" She turned to her friends. Each said words of agreement, thinking it was a good idea and a way to distract them from the pixie situation. It was also a way for them to see their boyfriends/fiancées/husbands, since they hadn't had much contact since the girls came back to Alfea.

"Guess that's a yes." Tecna told him.

"See you soon." Timmy said and the hologram disappeared.

"My sister Miele just enrolled in Limphea College, it will be great to see her." Flora told them as Lana clapped her hands as if saying it was a great idea. They laughed at her cuteness and then Stella walked towards Flora.

"Gosh, she is just soo cute. Now it's my turn to hold her." She told the nature fairy and then extended her arms towards the baby. As soon as she did that, Lana started to cry and she grasped at Flora's pink shirt with her little hands. "Are you kidding me?" The sun fairy asked the child as everyone laughed.

"Sorry, Stella, guess she wants to stay with Auntie Flora." The nature fairy replied as she hugged the baby closer.

"You two have really connected. I wish I could connect with her like that." Aisha told her with a sigh as she threw herself on the vacant couch, having finished her work out. Flora sat next to her and gave her a comforting smile.

"I know it's been hard, Aisha. I guess you just need a little more time to get used to the idea of being a mother." The fairy of waves looked at her a bit desperately.

"But what if I don't? What if I was never meant to be a mother?" She questioned as she recalled the moment she had found out that she was pregnant. It was the day that the Winx had gone to Domino for the celebration of the kingdom's revival, months ago. Aisha had been feeling sick for a couple weeks and she had started getting worried. Her friends were worried too, but she had told them she was alright. While Stella and Bloom had headed for the Yellow Reef to retrieve the gem of courage, she had stayed with Flora in the castle infirmary so that she could be checked out. When the nurse had finished checking her, she was told that she was pregnant. Flora had congratulated her, but it had taken her a long time to believe it.

When she told Nabu, he was overjoyed. He told her that he'd be there for her and he had done so. He had been so supportive and she felt really thankful that she had him. She hoped that as months passed, she would get used to the idea of becoming a mother, but it hadn't been that way. Now her child was there with them and she still didn't feel like a mother. She was scared and she didn't want to tell Nabu that, he was so happy with their little family.

"There's no use in thinking like that, you have to stay positive." Aisha's thoughts were broken by her best friend's voice. "I'm sure you'll find out that you can be a wonderful mother, Aisha. Just have faith."

"Thanks, Flo. You are the best." The fairy of waves couldn't think of anything else to say, so she hugged Flora tightly. There was a loud cry of protest as the hug squashed little Lana. They pulled apart and looked at the angry baby.

"Look, Aisha, it's already 10:30." Tecna told the water fairy.

"Oh, right. It's feeding time." Aisha picked up Lana and walked towards her bedroom. Once she was gone, Stella suggested that the girls follow her to her boutique, so she could make the perfect outfit for them to go to Limphea. As they entered the room, Stella started thinking about it and she settled for an idea that, in her mind sounded great, but turned out not to be so. The girls checked their outfits with frowns as Stella apologized and then used her magic to make new ones that fit perfectly with the occasion. The girls happily told the sun fairy how much they liked the new outfits.

"Now we look so natural." Stella joked and they laughed, Aisha came in just then. Stella quickly set her new outfit and the girls got ready to go to Alfea. They arrived at Limphea College while flying with giant ladybugs.

"Limphea, I've missed it so much." Flora commented as she watched the landscape. Truly it had only been about two weeks since she had been home, since she and Helia had gone to Andros to help Aisha and Nabu during the ten days they had had left of vocation, but it felt like much longer.

"This is amazing, Flora." Bloom said as they walked around the school.

"I wonder where Miele is." Flora whispered to herself, having not heard Bloom's comment. She looked at the many young students who were walking and talking as she searched for her sister.

"Look, it's the Winx." One of the students pointed at them and the others attention went to them. The Winx waved at them as Stella walked forward and used her magic to create many papers with her picture and then her autograph. She sent them flying towards the students, who happily tried to catch them.

"I'll catch up with you later, I'm going to surprise Miele." Flora told them and she walked away.

"Tecna, did Timmy tell you where their course is?" Musa asked the technology fairy. Tecna stopped looking at her phone in order to answer her question.

"In the arena, which is right over there." She told them as she pointed at a huge place near them. They started walking towards it.

"Now we just need to find a way to get there." Aisha voiced what they were all thinking until their attention was caught by a giant leaf.

"Oh, how about this? It's perfect!" Bloom commented and the others nodded. They climbed on the leaf and it started flying towards the arena. Little Lana didn't like the movement and she cried during the entire journey as Aisha attempted to calm her down.

With the specialists...

The specialists had woken up early that morning as Headmaster Saladin told them to go to his office the night before. The six young men had dragged themselves to the Headmaster's office with yawns. Getting there, Saladin had first taken his time congratulating Helia in his engagement to Flora and Nabu in the birth of his child before he had told them that they were to take a course at Limphea College. They had left for the planet of nature shortly afterwards.

Getting at the course, the master had taught them about magical weapons that were connected to nature. The lecture had taken hours and they were exhausted, so they didn't pay much attention, with the exception of Helia and Timmy. There were two guys there wearing red uniforms who the specialists didn't recognize. Sky, however, knew the man with brown hair and green eyes very well.

"Now that I have showed you how to use this weapons, it's your turn to prove you're worth it." The old men told them once the lecture was over. "Your skills will be put to the test. First, you must select a weapon that suits your strengths. Now who's first?" He asked the group of man. Sky immediately took a step forward. "You?" The man asked and the blonde prince nodded his head. "And now a challenger." The man with brown hair spoke up before any of the specialists could.

"Leave it to me, I'll fight Sky." He gave the specialists a confident smile as Sky looked angrily at him.

"Hey, Sky, who is that guy?" Brandon asked the blonde specialist as they all wondered the same thing.

"My cousin, Thoren." Sky answered with a sight. This caught the other guys by surprise, they had been friends for so many years they didn't believe there was something they didn't know about each other.

"Dude, you have a cousin?" Brandon asked him accusingly.

"It's a long story, but I'm not gonna let that get in my way." Sky answered with determination as he walked towards the rock where all weapons were placed. He chose a blue sword and a shield as he prepared to battle against Thoren.

"Remember that these weapons release the strength of nature. Use them with care." The master warned them and the fight started. Thoren used his hammer to create an earthquake, but Sky used his sword to send it away before it could reach him. It was in that moment that the Winx arrived.

"Who's that guy Sky's fighting?" Musa asked Bloom as the fire fairy shook her head.

"I don't know. Sky's never mentioned him before." Bloom said. Then Thoren was thrown off by another blow from Sky. "But Sky's being more aggressive than usual." She added.

"Hey, Brandon, we're here." Stella screamed as she waved towards the specialists. Brandon waved back at her when the master spoke.

"Who in the world is releasing such a barbaric yell?" He asked the group of people. Riven started laughing as Brandon laughed nervously.

"That's my girlfriend, sir." He told the master, who gave him a look before looking back at the the fight. The Winx then walked towards their partners or ran,in Stella's case. She jumped in Brandon's arms and they kissed passionately. Tecna smiled at Timmy as she approached him and they hugged. Musa glared at Riven and smacked him in the head for his laughter. He apologized and she smiled at him before kissing him.

"Where's Flora?" Helia immediately asked, looking worried.

"She'll be here soon. She's visiting her sister." Tecna responded and Helia just nodded as he recalled how Flora had told him that Miele had enrolled in Limphea College.

Aisha and Nabu hugged as they met. The little girl in her arms started extending her little arms towards him and Nabu gladly took her.

"How's my little mermaid?" He asked Aisha as he held the baby.

"She's doing great. Spent the whole morning with Flora." Aisha told him and she smiled at the cute child.

"Again? Looks like those two have really connected." Aisha nodded her head and a frown came to her face as she recalled her worries earlier. "Hey, it's okay. Flora's great with children, we all know that. You're an amazing mother, Aisha." Nabu said as if he knew exactly what she was thinking. She smiled at him and they shared a quick kiss.

"Hey there, ladies. When it's my turn, I'll give these guys a run for their money." Thoren's friend told Musa, Tecna, Bloom and Stella as he approached them. He gave them a confident smile as he started straight at Musa, who have him a glare.

"Oh, really? Then let's see what you got!" Riven told him firmly, not liking the way he was looking at his girlfriend.

"Bring it!" The guy answered as they both walked towards the table.

With Flora...

The nature fairy walked a bit around the school, liking the feeling of such closeness with nature. She soon spotted her little sister with some friends.

"Miele." She called for the younger girl, who smiled brightly upon seeing her.

"Flora!" She said excitedly as the two sisters hugged. "It's so good to see you."

"Could this really be my little sister?" Flora jokingly said as she noticed just how much Miele had grown in the short months they had been apart.

"I've missed you so much." Miele told her and she voiced her agreements. Then they took a walk around the college as they caught up on each other's lives.

"I want to meet her." Miele commented as Flora told her about little Lana. "She sounds so cute and adorable." Flora nodded in agreement. Then they saw a green building.

"That's where I took my plant healing course." Miele told Flora as they kept walking.

"Well done. I couldn't be more proud of you." Flora beamed at her younger sister. "This is such a special place and I'm so glad you're here, learning all about nature's true powers." They approached a huge tree.

"All around us are the Treants, the human trees. Aren't they wonderful?" Miele questioned. Flora approached one of the Treants and she touched it and she felt so wonderful.

"Yes, they are. It's amazing how there's so much life in a single touch." They smiled at each other but soon Miele's face turned to horror. Flora looked at her worriedly but she pointed at something behind the nature fairy.

"Isn't that Cloud Tower?" The young girl asked.

"Yes, it is. And it's... flying? Something's not right. Come on, we have to warn the others." The two sisters quickly ran towards the arena. There, they were met with the sight of Riven and an unknown guy in the middle of a fight as the others watched them.

"Everyone, stop! Something's terribly wrong." The two man stopped fighting as everyone's attention went to Flora and Miele. "Look! Up in the sky." The nature fairy urged them as everyone stared at the school for witches.

"The witches! They managed to make Cloud Tower fly?" Bloom questioned as the girls joined together, getting ready to transform since they knew this was not good.

"Nabu, get Lana inside. It's not safe for her here." Aisha told her husband and he nodded before taking off towards the entrance of the school with the baby safely in his arms. He had no intention of leaving Aisha to fight by herself, so he quickly spotted a teacher with blonde hair and green eyes. He asked her to look after the child for the school was under attack and he had to help his wife defend it. The teacher was shocked by his sudden appearance and his words, but she complied. Soon, baby Lana was passed to her and she started to cry. Nabu kissed her forehead and told her everything would be okay before he ran back to the arena.

"Oh, no, the Treants! What's happening to them?" Flora asked nobody in particular as they watched as the trees suddenly came to life and started attacking them. "Look out! She screamed as she pushed Miele out of the way of one of them.

"But the treants are good!" Miele exclaimed in disbelief.

"This is serious, Winx. I'll tell Daphne to come give us a hand. I think her class has ended already." Bloom told them as she took her phone to text Daphne.

"Watch it, branch." Stella said as one of the treants attacked her.

"Girls, now it's definitely time to transform!" Aisha said and the Winx joined together once again before transforming.

"Miele, take cover, I'll take care of them." Flora told her younger sister, but Miele didn't move.

"Don't worry, Flora, I've got this." Soon she was transformed into a basic fairy form and Flora got distracted by looking at her and didn't notice that a closeby Treant was about to attack her. "Spring Flower." The young girl cast a spell to send the tree away.

"Nice work, Miele." Flora told her as they hugged once again.

"Specialists, are you ready to fight?" On the other side of the arena, Sky and the rest of the specialists were mounting their bikes with weapons in hand. Nabu came back just then and he easily mounted his bike holding his staff.

"Hey, Sky, don't forget about us!" Thoren told the prince as he and his friend mounted their own bikes. "Just let us take the first swing." He added with a confident smile. Easily his friend sent an attack towards a nearby Treant. Sky didn't have time to be angry at the guy because Bloom came towards him.

"Sky, we'll fly towards Cloud Tower, it's got to be the source of all this craziness." The blonde nodded as Bloom gathered the Winx and they flew towards the witches school.

At Cloud Tower...

The Winx entered it through a small window and went in the direction of a powerful and negative energy they could feel. Suddenly, a group of witches came their way and attacked them ,but the Winx were smarter and they managed to avoid their attacks. Soon they found themselves at the great hall where they found none other but the Trix.

"Winx, look who it is!" Aisha commented as they stared at the three witches angrily.

"The Trix. Why am I not surprised?" Bloom said as she glared at Icy, the memory of the witches attack on Domino fresh on her mind.

"Oh, please. Did you really think that you'd get rid of us? We like to keep things interesting around here." Darcy said with a smirk as she tried to appear bored.

"The only interesting thing I see are the new costumes. Is that all you got?" Said none other than Stella as she smirked at the three witches.

"Just you wait, princess. We'll be keeping you and your pretty little toes." Stormy replied to the sun fairy with a smirk of her own.

"Enough!" Icy spoke before Stella could reply to Stormy. "Time to get down to business. Witches, go after them." The group of witches that had previously tried to attack the Winx reappeared and charged at them. The group of six was surprised that the Trix didn't even try to fight them, but they wasted no time in fighting back. The witches were easily defeated and then it was the Trix's turn. The Winx sen attack their way, but the three sister easily avoided them.

"That's so last year, Blondie." Stormy taunted Stella as she conjured a shield that easily absorbed the sun fairy's attack. While the Winx and Trix were arguing, Musa noticed a small bubble that was protecting a witch. The bubble cast a dark green light, so it was impossible to see who was inside it.

"Winx, look! I think that the source of the dark energy is inside that magic bubble." She told her friends.

"Then let's destroy it." Aisha said firmly and the Winx went towards the bubble and surrounded it. The Trix were caught by surprise and had no time to stop them from attacking the bubble. Luckily for the witches, as soon as the Winx's attack went for the bubble, a dark green light was quest and the fairies disappeared. They reappeared outside of Cloud Tower as they fell from the sky, their powers lost. Bloom still had her sirenix powers, but she felt so weak she knew she wouldn't be able to remain flying for long. She hoped that someone would see them and help them.

Back at Limphea College...

Daphne came to Limphea College just as the battle against the Treants was getting good. Miele and her friends had tried attacking the trees, but it didn't work. Soon, the specialists came to their rescue, with Sky and Riven easily sending the trees away. As the nymph of Domino saw them, she waved and they waved back.

"Hey, Daphne. I see you got Bloom's message." Sky said as he swung his sword to send one of the Treants away.

"Yes, I did." The blonde princess replied."This is all so crazy." The specialists nodded their heads in agreement. Once again Daphne missed the man with green eyes and brown hair who watched her from afar. Thoren couldn't believe that he was seeing her again, he had thought that she would have stayed in Domino, but he was glad that she was there. He had thought that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he had been very interested during her welcome back party. After seeing her risk her life to save her kingdom, he had known that he had to get to know her. However, he had chickened out and had gone back to Eraklyon thinking that he would never see her again.

Daphne finally noticed his eyes were on her, but as soon as she looked back at him, a Treant took advantage of her distraction and she she was thrown off. It happened so fast that she didn't have time to use her powers to stop it and she was sent flying. As she tried to concentrate in using her powers, she felt strong arms wrap around her. She looked back to see Thoren as he had ran over to rescue her. She gave him a grateful smile as they landed.

"Thank you." She told him as she thought he was very handsome. After spending 20 years as a spirit, Daphne had had the opportunity to see many man, but she felt there was something different about him.

"It's no problem." Thoren nervously scratched the back of his head. "It's kind of my job, you know, rescuing people." He gave her a sheepish smile and she smiled in return.

"Well, you're certainly good at it. You were fast." She replied, but before the conversation could go any further, another Treant sent an attack their way and both were thrown off. They fell hard on the ground and Daphne had trouble standing up due to the pain of the fall.

"Are you okay?" Thoren worriedly asked her as he helped her stand up. She nodded her head in agreement. They saw another Treant coming their way, so decided to attack the trees together.

"Specialists, the Winx are in danger! Let's go!" They heard Sky say and Daphne look in the direction he was looking at and she gasped as she watched Bloom and her friends fall from the sky, apparently powerless.

"Oh no." She screamed. Her worries were soon put at ease as the specialists flew towards the Winx and easily caught them.

"Thanks, Sky. You always had a knack for good timing." Bloom told her husband and he gave her a worried smile. It was clear that she wasn't okay, she looked weaker than he had ever seen her, as did the others. "I have to.. get back. I have to fight the Trix." She told him as she tried getting off the bike, but he held her firmly.

"Not on your own, Bloom. Your friends need to rest and so do you." Bloom looked back at her friends. Each looked worse than the other. She noticed that Flora was trying to get off the bike as well while Helia held her.

"Just let me go, Helia. Miele. I have to.. help her." She was telling the blue haired specialist, who shook his head.

"There's no way I'm letting you go there in this condition. You need to rest, my flower." He told her and then he hugged her. Bloom smiled at the sweet couple, but then her attention went back to her own boyfriend as he spoke up.

"Thoren, it's time to retreat."

"Are you kidding me? Not yet." The brown haired man answered as he used his hammer to send more Treants away.

"The witches's magic is too strong!" Aisha tried reasoning with him.

"And we've lost our powers." Tecna added.

"We should get back to Alfea and try to figure something out. The Winx need to rest and there's nothing else we can do here." Daphne said as she looked at Thoren. Hearing her, he realized this was truly the best course of action. So he called Nex and they joined the specialists. Daphne went back to the school to retrieve baby Lana, by Nabu's request. He didn't wish to leave Aisha alone while she was tired and weak, so he asked Bloom's sister for a favor. She came back a few minutes later as she handed Aisha the baby.

"Hey there, baby girl. How are you?" Aisha asked the small child, who wrapped her little hand around her mother's finger and smiled at both her parents.

"I think she's fine, love." Nabu said as he made a face and the baby laughed.

"I'm glad my favorite niece is okay." Flora said before her attention went back to her younger sister." Miele! Come with us, please." She urged the young girl, wanting her to be safe.

"You go! I've got to protect my friends here." Miele told her as she and a couple friends flew in front of the Winx. "But I have faith in you and that you'll be back with a brand new pair of wings." Flora's heart filled with pride but also worry. She didn't want to leave Miele to fight the enemy, but at the moment she would be of no help.

"I'll see you soon, Miele. Together, we'll save Limphea College. I promise." Flora vowed as she attempted not to cry. The sisters said goodbye and then the Winx and Specialists went back to Alfea. Flora buried her head on Helia's shoulder as she silently cried. It was a quiet and fast ride,except for Daphne and Thoren's conversation as she was invited to go with him instead of flying towards Alfea. Bloom watched their interaction with a smile, happy for her sister.

Back at Alfea...

Arriving at Alfea, they found Miss. Faragonda and Roxy waiting for them. The pink haired fairy was holding in her arms a crow that the Winx had found two days before as it had fallen from the sky. They had rescued the animal and Roxy had been taking care of it.

"Winx, we heard that the Trix are back." Miss Faragonda said once they landed and got off the bikes.

"Yes, they are." Bloom glumly said. "And their dark magic is too strong. They conquered Limphea College." Flora turned her head away at those words. Guilt and sadness plagued her mind. Helia wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead as an attempt to comfort her.

"And what happened to your powers?" Roxy asked as she noticed that only Bloom was still in her sirenix form.

"We don't know." Aisha told the them.

"At Cloud Tower, a witch was involved by a magic barrier that contained intense energy." Tecna said and Bloom continued.

"And when we tried to destroy it..." Musa finished.

"We lost our powers. Well, all except for Bloom." Everyone looked at the fire fairy, the only one who was able to maintain her powers.

"What kind of magic could be that strong?" Daphne asked the headmistress.

"And why didn't I lose my powers?" Bloom asked what they were all thinking.

"It's easy, Bloom. Your powers come from the inextinguishable dragon flame, the source of the Magic Universe." Miss Faragonda answered. Hearing this, a smile came to her face as she had an idea. Focusing her magic, she created six small globes of energy that she sent towards each of her friends, keeping one for herself. As they held the globes in their hands, each girl felt magic course through their bodies. Little Lana laughed as she stared at the small globe on Aisha's hands.

"Winx, you must protect this small flames for soon they will bring a whole new power." The Winx were happy to hear that their powers might not be lost forever. "This power will be earned through great and courageous actions, worthy of a fairy. Thanks to Bloom, now you have magic inside you once again." Miss Faragonda continued before anyone could ask.

"Thank you, Bloom." Stella said as the six fairies moved in for a group hug,

"We'll use the dragon flame to sustain our strength." Musa said.

"Defeat the Trix" Tecna carried on and Flora concluded.

"And save Limphea College." The six friends hugged once again and then they went inside Alfea to get some rest. They knew that their journey had barely begun, but they were confident that as long as they were together, they could face anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? Sorry that this chapter was so long. Did you like the Daphne X Thoren and Flora X Helia scenes? What about the Lana scenes?
> 
> Here we have Roxy's first appearance. She will be an important part in the story later. I wanted to put everyone in there, so that's why the chapter turned out so long. What couple do you wish to see next chapter?


	4. Practice makes perfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3X04: At Alfea, the Winx train so that they can help Limphea College against the Trix. Without their powers, they know it won't be easy. Daphne and Thoren start getting to know each other, Nex keeps causing trouble for Musa and Riven, Aisha and Nabu spend some quality time with Lana, Tecna and Timmy get their relationship to a new level and Flora and Helia feel happier than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there. Thanks everyone for the hits. I wish you'd comment, though, tell me what you think and your theories.  
> I'm sorry this chapter's a bit late. I was busy with college and writing the revelation you've been waiting for. I think you'll like the backstory, but that will only come in a few chapters. I'll drop a few hints as I've been doing.  
> This chapter's mostly a filler, but there are some important things, specially regarding (spoiler alert) Will. Hope you like it.

After good 12 hours of rest, the Winx woke up the next morning. They still felt a bit weak and tired, but not as much as the day before. Stella, for once, was the first to wake up. After a few minutes, she got bored so she decided that waking everyone else up was a great idea. Moans and groans followed the sun fairy as she went into each of their rooms and (not so gently) woke them up. An argument between Stella and Aisha quickly started as the fairy of waves didn't like being woken up on the first day in weeks that she got enough sleep since Lana had stayed with Nabu. But knowing that she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep, Aisha had decided to get ready, but she sure planned how to get her revenge on the sun fairy.

Flora was the last one to be awoken and the only one that didn't complain. She was glad to be up and ready to find a way to save Limphea College and her sister. Thinking about Miele made her work faster and by the time Bloom finally got out of bed, she was already showered and dressed. She waited for her friends to finish getting ready as she read a book in her comfy chair. Her friends had been surprised to find out that she was a books lover even more than a nature lover, but after 5 years, they were used to it. The book she was currently reading was called Romeo and Juliet, a classic earth romance that Bloom had given her. The story was tragic and beautiful and it reminded her a bit of her own story. She read the book for over an hour and then the Winx were finally ready.

Getting at the cafeteria, the Winx instantly met Roxy as she waved at them. The six girls gladly joined her and started eating. It was rather quiet until Roxy spoke up.

"So, how are you doing?" The pink haired fairy looked worriedly at them. After all, they had lost their powers, it was no small deal.

"We're okay, I guess." Bloom answered for all of them. She gave Roxy a smiled that was soon returned.

"So, Roxy, we forgot to ask last night, did you manage to find out anything about the crow?" Musa asked curiously as everyone started at Roxy.

"Well, yes. I managed to make it speak." Roxy gave them a shy smile.

"That's amazing, Roxy. So, what did it say?" Bloom spoke once again.

"It wasn't a crow, in fact, it was Miss. Griffin." The Winx had horrified looks on their faces as they thought of the strong Cloud Tower Headmistress being transformed into a crow.

"Headmistress Griffin? Oh, god." Flora exclaimed, feeling sorry for the headmistress.

"I bet the Trix are behind it." Bloom commented and they had to agree on that one.

"But we'll beat, them, all we have to do now is train so that we can strengthen our skills." Aisha said determinately and the girls gave her a look, knowing what was coming next and not liking it.

"So we're going to train?" Stella asked with a yawn. Aisha nodded her head. "Great!" The blonde added with a fake smile. "Just what I wanted to do today." Laughs followed her last comment as the Winx dragged themselves towards their bedroom to get ready for training.

"Okay, guys, we're gonna need new outfits, since this is a whole new mission." Stella said as they were reaching their dorm room. "Everyone, to my boutique." She commanded and the girls laughed again before following her. She stood before them as she thought of the perfect outfit.

"Okay, I've got it. New mission, new look." She said as she clapped clapped her hands and waited for the outfits to appear on the girls. When it didn't, she gave out a frustrated sigh before trying again.

"It's pointless, Stella. Remember, we lost our powers!" Musa said and they gave out a collective sight.

"Okay, then. New mission." Stella disappeared for a few seconds and the girls gave each other a look, afraid of what this was about. When the sun fairy came back, she was carrying a bunch of clothes and she ended up tripping and the clothes fell onto the Winx.

"Hmm. Thanks, Stella." Bloom said and then each girl went to their bedroom to change. Within a few minutes they were all ready, except for one.

"Flora, are you coming?" Bloom asked as she came back into their shared room to call for the fairy of nature. Said fairy was siting on her bed, a sad look on her face. Bloom ran to her after seeing that look.

"Hey, Flora, talk to me, what's wrong?" She hugged her friend, but Flora quickly disentangled herself.

"I'm okay, Bloom. Just worried. I mean, this is important to me, it's my sister who's in danger after all." Flora lowered her head as she thought about how she had failed Miele the day before.

"I know, sweetie, but you don't have to worry. We'll save Miele and beat the Trix. I really believe we can do it." Flora smiled after hearing the determination and confidence in Bloom's tone.

"I know we will. I just need a moment alone, get myself together."

"Okay, then. I'll tell the others that you'll meet us at the gym soon." Bloom said she she got up after another hug.

"Thanks, Bloom." Bloom nodded her head and then she left the room. Once Flora was alone in the room she sighed. She was getting tired of all this lies. After five years you'd think that she would be used to it, but she wasn't. She had always hated lying, even as a child. She felt terrible and she knew there was only one person who had always managed to make her feel better. So she slided on the bed until she reached her pillows. Underneath them, there was a secret compartment where she kept important things. Flora used her magic to unlock it and she took out a framed picture. A smiling man with brown eyes, blonde hair and caramel skin looked back at her. She smiled at the picture.

"Hey, Will." She sighed, wishing that he could be there with her. "Today is a really hard day for me, so I really needed to see you. You were always able to calm me down, whether by giving me white roses or by making tea. I loved your tea." She smiled as she looked at the cup on her night stand, filled with the same tea he used to make every time she was upset. "I'm feeling like a failure right now, not only because I am powerless, but because I couldn't help my sister. Miele means a lot to me. I know that if you were here, you'd tell me it's okay, that we can't win every battle, but I don't know, I really want to win this one." Feeling herself getting upset, Flora stood up and poured herself some tea. She slowly drank it as a small smile came to her face. Then her thoughts went to how much she missed him and she put the tea back on the night stand as tears escaped her eyes.

"I really wish you were here, I miss you so much. I've had such a hard time dealing with you being gone, after all, you were the only one who was always there for me. But things have changed now, I have more people who believe in me. Like Helia." She smiled again at the mention of her wonderful fiancée. "He is so amazing and he knows me so well. Well, he knows the person I've been since we met. I hate lying to him, but it's necessary. You know, I think that you would have liked him, except for the fact that we are together." She laughed as more memories came to her mind. She heard a tick from behind her and she looked at the clock. She was surprised to find out that he had been there for over ten minutes.

"I better go now or my friends will start worrying. Thanks, Will, for always believing in me and giving me strength. I really need that right now. Je t'aime, mon petit chat." She gently stroked the picture before putting it back on the secret compartment before putting the pillows over it. Unfortunately, being in a rush, Flora forgot to lock it and she didn't notice when the picture fell to the ground. That would cause her many problems later.

At Aisha's Gym...

The girls were spread along the gym as they waited for Flora to come. Bloom and Musa were looking in amazement at the gym as they complimented Aisha while Stella was looking at herself in the huge mirror, unsure about the outfit she had chosen. Tecna sat on the wall as she barely payed attention to the girls, too concentrated on looking at her phone, probably texting Timmy. That was the scene Flora came into. As soon as she stepped onto the gym, everyone stopped what they were doing to look at her.

"Hey, Flo, is everything okay?" Aisha was the first to ask. The nature fairy quickly smiled at her friends.

"Everything's fine girls, I just needed a moment to recompose myself after what happened yesterday." They nodded their heads, understanding where she was coming from and how the day before had been harder on her than anyone else.

"It wasn't a moment, actually." The girls turned back to look at the technology fairy, who had stood up and walked over to them. "You were gone for 12 minutes and 36 seconds." Stella rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Tecna, too technical!" The sun fairy said and Tecna shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry if it's too hard for you to understand a simple counting of minutes, Stella. Anyways, I have some news." Then Tecna did one thing they had never seen her do, she blushed. The girls guessed this outta be good.

"What is it? Everything okay?" Musa asked a bit worried.

"She's blushing, you guys. I bet this has to do with roooomance." Stella excitedly screamed as Tecna blushed even harder.

"Well, it does, actually." She found herself too nervous to speak.

"So it's about Timmy. What about him? Has he done something bad?" Musa asked with threatening look on her face. If Timmy dared hurt her best friend, he would have to deal with her.

"No, of course not. It's just... He wants me to meet his parents." Tecna blurted out and they gave her surprised looks. They were well aware that Timmy didn't speak to his parents, so they wondered why he would want Tecna to meet them. "They went back to talking a few weeks ago. When he mentioned that he had a girlfriend, they really wanted to meet me. So, we'll have a dinner in about two days." Tecna said before they could ask.

"That's good news. I'm sure they'll love you, Tec." Flora said, always the positive one. Stella was even more excited.

"Yess. This will be a perfect opportunity for me to try out some new outfits ideas I've had. I mean, you'll meet his parents, you need to look just fabulous!" The blonde was jumping with joy and Tecna gave the others a scared look. She had gotten herself in big trouble!

"Okay, guys, this is definitely great news and we're happy for you, Tecna, but I think that we should go back to our training." Aisha said firmly before a discussion could begin. The others agreed and they started training. Aisha taught them some easy steps and they were having fun when they heard a familiar voice.

"Hey, Winx." It was Sky as he entered the gym followed by the other specialists and Thoren and Nex.

"Hi, are you here to train with us?" Bloom asked the boys.

"The Trix's magic is beyond extreme, we're here to help." Nex said as he looked at Musa. The music fairy wasn't pleased by how he was once again staring at her.

"You must be careful, you'll be fighting without your powers." Miss Faragonda warned them with a serious look.

"No sweat, we've got this." Stella said as she winked at Brandon. He blew her a kiss after giving her a smile.

"I'll make sure everyone's prepared, Miss. Faragonda." Aisha told the headmistress reassuringly. "Since I won't go back there, I guess that's all I can do." The girls gave her surprised looks at the mention that she wouldn't be going back to Limphea with them.

"Why are you not coming, Aisha?" Musa asked.

"Aisha and I will stay here to take care of the baby. I'm sorry, guys." Nabu told everyone as he approached the fairy of waves. The others just nodded, understanding. Aisha and Nabu kissed softly and she looked at the sleeping child in his arms.

"She looks so cute when she's asleep." She said to her husband. They both smiled at the little girl. As if she could sense their eyes on her, Lana opened her eyes.

"Oh, great." Nabu muttered. He had had a hard time putting her to sleep the night before and she had only been asleep for about two hours.

"Hey, there, baby girl." Aisha greeted and Lana smiled at her. Then she looked around the room at everyone before her eyes set on the person she wanted. She cried out while reaching her small hand towards the nature fairy.

"Even from afar, she knows who I am." Flora said as she smiled. Then she approached the couple and looked at the little girl. "Hey, sweetie. Did you have a good night with your daddy?" Lana extended her arms even further and Flora understood that she wanted to be picked up. "Okay, okay. I missed you too." She told the laughing baby now in her arms.

"I can just picture when she grows up and she'll always ask to go to Auntie Flora's house." Bloom said with a smile.

"Okay, not wanting to ruin this sweet moment, but we should go back to training." Riven said from afar. No one missed the gentleness in his tone, unlike the old Riven who would be arrogant and rude.

"Riven's right. We just need to figure out where we'll leave Lana." Aisha said as she realized that Nabu hadn't brought her crib.

"I can fix that." Miss Faragonda said and she concentrated for a few seconds. Then a small crib appeared on Nabu's hand.

"Thanks, Miss. Faragonda." Aisha said. Flora gently placed the baby on the crib and she gave out a few cries before falling asleep again.

"I put a sound barrier around the crib, so she won't listen in while you train." The headmistress said. " One more thing before you resume, don't forget that now that you have pieces of the dragon flame inside you, you'll have a chance to earn the Bloomix Power through special acts of courage." With that said, she went back to her office and the Winx resumed training.

"Look what I've been practicing." Aisha said and she walked towards the mirror. She then performed some dance steps before she made a triple backflip. The others clapped, impressed with her skills.

"That was fantastic, Aisha." Stella said.

"It's not difficult, you try and I'll spot you." Aisha told her.

"That's alright, I've got spotters of my own." Stella said and then she called the pixies and asked for their help. It didn't work out and when she tried the triple backflip, she ended up falling. "Ouch." She said while on the ground. Some laughed at the scene, but Flora went to Stella and helped her stand up.

"You okay, Stell?" She asked a bit worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Guess that didn't work out." The sun fairy responded.

"Hey, Bloom. Where's Daphne?" Thoren asked quietly as he went to the fire fairy's side. She gave him a knowing smile before answering.

"She's a the library, researching the treants. I'm sure she'd love some company." Bloom answered and Thoren blushed a bit.

"Okay, so I'll check up on her." Then he was gone.

At the library...

Daphne was looking through many books trying to figure something about the treants. She found herself disappointed, though. After reading the 20th useless book, she ended up throwing it back to the bookshelf with more force than intended, due to her frustration. Unfortunately, it was in that moment that Thoren entered the library and the book ended up knocking him down.

"Oh, no." Daphne screamed in horror. She quickly ran to him as he was sitting up while massaging his head.

"Wow! Why so mad at me?" Thoren attempted to joke and Daphne just gave him an exasperated look.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to throw that book at you." She quickly apologized and Thoren laughed at her despair.

"It's okay. So, tell me, why are you so... mad?" He searched for the right word that wouldn't set her off.

"I've been reading a million books for like two hours and nothing." Daphne said once they reached the table where she had been reading.

"Maybe I can help you." Thoren said before he walked towards a nearby shelf and picked up a random book. Daphne used her magic to bring the book back to her.

"Wow! I don't know how you did this, but this book will sure be helpful." She showed him the cover of the book. "It's the story version of the Treants' legend."She explained once he just gave her a confused look.

"You know, my father used to read me the story when I was a kid." Thoren told her and a frown appeared on his face as he thought of his father. Daphne wanted to question it, but she decided it wasn't a good idea. They had just met, after all. "Each time he read it, it gave me the creeps." Daphne started reading the book, a concentrated look on her face. "Are you looking for something in particular?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'm trying to find a way to control the Treants."

" Well, if anyone could get to the root of the problem, it would be you, Daphne." She gave him a confused look.

"Why do you say that?" She questioned and he was taken aback. Women didn't usually question it when he complimented them.

"I mean, from what I've seen so far, you seem to be good at fixing problems." He answered nervously. She smiled at him before it hit her.

"Wait a minute. The root, that's it! The Treants' roots must be firmly planted on the ground." She told him excitedly.

"Right! So?" He didn't get it.

"If the root makes contact with the ground, it stabilizes them." They high fived happily before going to the gym to tell the Winx and Specialists. Along the way, there was light talking and the two entered the gym unknowingly holding hands.

Back at the gym...

"Okay, guys. Let's do this!" Sky told the specialist excitedly. "This obstacle course will improve our agility and reflexes." He climbed into a platform with Next following him and he quickly finished the course.

"Well done, Sky!" Helia said once he was finished as the other specialists clapped. The Winx were too busy trying out the triple backflip to pay much attention to them. Tecna and Musa easily got it, while Bloom and Stella had a little trouble. Flora pretended not to do so well, not wanting to catch their attention on how easily she could do it. She had learned the first year that they had become friends that the best way to keep her secrets was not to call much attention.

"Not again." There was a scream and a crashing sound as Stella accidentally knocked Tecna to the ground after trying the backflip again. The Winx stopped what they were doing and Flora and Bloom walked towards their two fallen friends. Timmy quickly ran to Tecna's side.

"Hey, you guys okay." Flora asked.

"We're fine." Tecna answered once Timmy helped her stand up again.

"You sure?" The orange haired specialists looked worriedly at her.

"Yeah, Timmy. It was just a fall, nothing serious." The two lovebirds smiled at each other and they would have gotten lost in their own world if it wasn't for Sky's next words.

"What are you waiting for? It's your turn?" The prince told Nex as the blue haired paladin hadn't moved yet. Everyone watched the two of them.

"Piece of cake." Nex said with a smirk and he easily completed the course, even faster than Sky did.

"Great job, Nex." Aisha told him.

"Thanks, it was nothing special." He said while smiling at his crowd, his eyes resting upon Musa once again.

''Exactly. Now I'll show you something special." Riven said and he did the same as the others. He was fast, but due to a stunt Next pulled, he almost fell down.

"Oh, no. Riven!" Musa screamed as she watched him hold onto Sky's hand knowing that she could do nothing to help him. Sky pulled Riven up and he climbed onto the platform.

"What the hell was that?" He asked the blue haired paladin as the elevator descended.

"You know, if this is your idea of helping, Nex, we don't need it." Musa told him angrily before she stormed away. Riven followed the direction she had gone after giving Nex a killer look. Just then Daphne and Thoren entered the room with big smiles on their faces.

"Hey, guys, we figured out how to control the Treants." Daphne said excitedly.

"All right!" Bloom cheered.

"Flora, we'll need some of your potions." Daphne told the nature fairy and she nodded before going to the lab to make the potions. Everyone got ready to go to Limphea College.

At the lab...

Flora was surrounded by bottles of different liquids as she concentrated on how to make the potions. Potion had always been one of her favorite subjects since she loved chemistry. She hummed a song for herself as she made it and she didn't notice when someone entered the lab. Suddenly, she felt strong arms wrap around her and her eyes were covered.

"Guess who's there?" A voice whispered in her ear. A part of her wanted to say his name, but she knew that would be impossible. He was long gone. She smiled as she remember how Will loved to do this to her and how he would change his voice so that she didn't know it was him, but she always knew that it was. But this wasn't Will and she knew only one other person who liked doing that.

"Helia." She smiled as he uncovered her eyes.

"Hey there, my beautiful fiancée." He told her as they shared a quick kiss.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be getting ready to leave?" She asked him gently.

"Maybe. But I'd rather be here with you." He told her before bringing her closer for a kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck and they were lost in their own world. A boiling sound brought them back as Flora quickly pulled apart and erased the fire that she had put to warm up the potions.

"That was close." She sighed in relief as she picked the potions.

"So, I came here because I have to tell you something." Helia said and she looked at him while putting the potions on her backpack. "Nabu came to me a few minutes ago and he asked me if you and I would be up to taking care of Lana when they go back to Andros."

"Why aren't they taking her?" Flora asked, confused. The Andros couple would be going back home in a few days to discuss the taking of the throne. Aisha's parents thought that it was about time that they became the new rulers of Andros, but the fairy of waves disagreed. She had no intention of taking the throne yet. So they would have to go there to discuss it.

"He said it wouldn't be a good environment for little Lana, with all the discussion and fights that might follow their visit. So, are you okay with it?"

"Yes, you know how much I love her. We'll take her for the day." Flora told him with a smile.

"Or week. Who knows how long this discussion's gonna last." Both laughed at his joke before they walked out of the lab and towards the outside, where everyone would be waiting for them.

Outside...

"Is everyone ready for this?" Bloom was asking the group of 13 people. The specialists and Paladins were already mounted on their bikes as the Winx stood near a ship with Timmy, who would be taking them to Limphea College. "Okay, so here's the plan. Specialists, you and I are going to attack Cloud Tower." She told them of the plan.

"What about us?" Thoren asked her.

"You are going to free Limphea College with the Winx." Bloom told him with a smile. She liked Thoren, there was something different about him. She wondered what had happened between him and Sky for them not to like each other. She had restrained herself from asking about it, deciding that if Sky wanted to tell her, he would.

" Rewind, how are we supposed to do that?" Musa asked, breaking Bloom's train of thought. It was in that moment that Flora and Helia walked outside.

"Easy." The nature fairy told Musa. "With my potions." Then she started distributing them to everyone.

"Awesome!" Musa said.

"Excellent. These potions were prepared just perfectly. Well done, Flora." Tecna proudly said as she smiled at Flora. The nature fairy returned the smile.

"Okay, now we should go. Your sister, Miele needs us, Flora." Bloom said and teh Winx entered the ship as Bloom transformed into her Sirenix. She and the specialists left first. As the group of people left Alfea, only Aisha and Nabu remained in the courtyard.

"I hope that they can do this." Aisha told her husband as she watched her friends fly away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? This turned out to be too long, so I decided that I'd better split this chapter in two parts.  
> Did you like the Will scene? I gave you many clues there. Wasn't it sweet how Flora loves to make tea and that's something he taught her? Next chapter one of the Winx will find out about him. Can you guess who that will be?  
> Did you like the baby scenes or was it too much? In two chapters we'll have Flora and Helia babysitting baby Lana. Are you ready for the cuteness?
> 
> Did you like that I added some Tecna and Timmy? I didn't want to leave them out. Next chapter we'll have Aisha X Nabu and some Stella X Brandon.


	5. Danger, love and secrets revealed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second part of 6X04: The Winx battle many monsters conjured by the Trix, Selina might not be working alone, Aisha and Nabu discuss serious events, someone discovers one of Flora's secrets and new powers are achieved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heey, so here's the second part of 6X04. I'm glad everyone liked the Will scene, there will be flashbacks in the next few chapters. This chapter is rather uneventful, but the ending will be important to this story. I'm sorry if anyone feels like this story's too long or I'm dragging the chapters, I'm trying to make it readable for everyone by including all the couples and characters. Soon we'll have Tecna and Timmy and Musa and Riven.

At Limphea College...

The students of Limphea College found themselves surrounded by Treants and witches. They were easily captured and the Trix laughed in delight. Their plan was working even better than they had thought.

"Cloud Tower witches, Limphea College is now ours." Icy triumphantly said as she smirked at the young witches.

"What have you done to the Treants?" A man asked.

"None of your business, old man. We'll take it from here." Darcy told him off.

"Let go of me!" Miele screamed as she tried to get out of the Treant's grip. It didn't work and that caught the witches attention.

"Pathetic fairies, all they do is moan and groan." Stormy complained as the three sisters watched Miele.

"Exactly. And all these annoying cries will bring the Winx back to us." Icy said and they laughed evilly. Knowing that the Winx were now powerless made them think defeating them would be a piece of cake.

"Okay, so we'd better go back to Cloud Tower and prepare the ambush." Darcy said and the Trix left after letting the witches in charge of Limphea College. Miele seized the fact that they were gone to use her magic seed and she was able to free herself.

"Yes, Miele!" One of her friends screamed as the young fairy began running around the Treants. She knew that she had to get help, so she planned on going to her home in a nearby village. As she ran, she was attacked by Treants and witches, but she managed to escape. When she was close to getting out of the arena, a Treant came out of nowhere and she was knocked down. As she tried to sit up, she realized that she was about to get squished.

"No!" She screamed as she closed her eyes and braced herself for the impact. When it didn't come, she opened them again to discover that the Treant had been immobilized by none other than Flora.

"Flora, you're back!" She happily screamed as she ran towards her older sister and they hugged tightly.

"I've got you, Miele." Flora said as she stroked her hair gently. When they pulled apart, Miele saw the rest of her friends behind her.

"Thank you." The young fairy said and the others nodded. They realized that there were many Treants coming their way, so Tecna and Musa quickly took Flora's potions out of their backpacks. As the nature fairy spread the potions onto the Treants, they quickle stopped attacking.

"It worked just perfectly. Nicely done, Flora." Tecna congratulated her. Then Miele let out a scream.

"Oh, no, there are many more Treants."

"Don't worry, we didn't come empty handed. This should do the trick." Flora said as she opened her backpack to reveal many potions. The Winx ran around the arena putting the potions on most of the Treants. Soon the students and teachers of Limphea College found themselves free. So they used their powers to fight against the witches and get back their school. Thoren and Nex appeared just then and they started using their weapons to send the witches away. Miele sent a spell towards a nearby witch and Flora watched her proudly.

"I'm so proud of you, Miele." The younger girl smiled.

At Cloud Tower...

Bloom and the specialists had just arrived.

"Time for a little surprise visit." The fire fairy said as they neared the school. Just then lighting struck towards them and they barely escaped.

"I guess they were expecting us." Sky said. Suddenly, many flying beasts appeared all of sudden. One of them flew close to Brandon and the specialist lost his grip on the bike and he started falling fast.

"What are those things?" Riven asked as Sky quickly went after Brandon, leaving the specialist's motorbike with Bloom.

"I have no idea." Bloom responded. They realized that the beasts were going in the direction of Limphea College, so the specialists went after them while Bloom kept going to Cloud Tower. She knew that she had a better chance at fighting against the Trix than them. Soon the trio appeared before her and she got ready for a fight.

"Surprise!" Icy greeted her with a smirk. "It's about time we destroyed you, Bloom." Bloom gave her a smirk in return.

"Funny, I've been hearing you say that for years." Icy and Stormy frowned at those words. For a few moments, the three sisters argued over who would have the first shot until they decided to take her at the same time. Bloom quickly builded up her shield as the attack came her way.

Back at Limphea College...

The beasts that had been conjured by Selina got to the school just as the potions Flora had made to control the Treants started wearing off. The six fairies looked around desperately as they realized they were in double trouble.

"What the..." Tecna started saying as she stared at a nearby beast when it looked at her and a bright light illuminated the spot where she had just been. She didn't get hit by the light because Musa pulled her away."Thanks, Musa." The fairy of music gave her a smile in return. Soon a few students at Limphea College passed by them and were hit by the beast's attack. The Winx were terrified to discover that they were turned to stone as soon as the light engulfed them. "Those are petrifying rays!" The technology fairy realized before the beast once again looked at her and she was paralyzed in place. If it wasn't by Riven's quick thinking and using of his weapon, Tecna would be petrified.

"Tecna! Are you alright?" Timmy asked her as he quickly reached her. She was still unmoving, so he started getting worried.

"Thanks, Riven." Musa told her boyfriend, who was descending his bike and walking over to her. She ran to him and jumped into his arms as he hugged her tight, relieved that she was safe.

"Timmy." Tecna finally said as she looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. " I almost was... For only a moment..." She couldn't finish her sentence, so she flung herself in his arms. He wrapped his arms around her as he got even more worried.

"I know, I know. But you're safe now and everything's okay. You're okay." He said as he attempted to calm both of them down.

"I know that, it's just that coming so close to..." She gulped as she couldn't say that word. They had agreed that she would never say that word again. "I just remember the time on the Omega Dimension and..." She didn't have to finish for her understood. He knew that time had been hard on the both of them and although they had spent the past 3 years pretending it had never happened, it had.

"You know, maybe it's time to stop pretending that it never happened. Maybe we should talk more about it." Timmy said and she would have answered him, but a scream caught their attention. It was Stella, running from one of the beasts as she tripped on it's tail. It's eyes were looking at her and she was seconds away from being petrified. They knew that they would never make it on time to save her, so they watched helplessly and prayed that someone would save her. That someone came. Brandon had seen that it would happen and he was so fast that he managed to get there before she was petrified. Unfortunately, the light engulfed him instead.

"Brandon!" Stella screamed as he was hit. She stood up and touched his arm, finding it to be rock solid. "No, no, no. Please no." She muttered before she threw herself at him and started crying. The girls didn't know how to comfort her and they really couldn't because they were too busy trying to escape all the monsters that the Trix had conjured.

"Guys, this is serious." Musa said as she and Tecna avoided another basilisk's attack. "I think we should call Aisha."

"That's not a bad idea." Tecna said. "She'll understand that this is an emergency." After that, Musa quickly got her phone and sent Aisha a message. She made sure to express how urgent the situation was before sending it.

Back at Alfea...

"Oh god, why won't she stop crying?" Aisha screamed in frustration. Her and Nabu were in her dorm room at Alfea as they attempted to take care of her daughter. The little girl had been crying hard for the past hour and the couple didn't know what else to do. She had been changed, fed and played with. Nabu guessed the reason for her outburst was tiredness, but she had refused to go to sleep.

"I don't know!" Nabu screamed as he looked around the room desperately. Then he spotted something on the purple couch that he guessed could help them. He walked towards it and took the small flower. It was a sunflower and Lana's favorite toy. It had blue eyes, a big smile and small green hands and feet.

"Look, Lana. Look what Daddy just found." He told the little girl in Aisha's arms as he reached them. He showed her the flower and Lana's cries immediately stopped. She stretched her hands to pick up the toy and Nabu put it in her arms. She hugged the flower and laughed.

"There you go." Aisha sighed in relief and smiled at her husband. " Have I ever told you how much I love you?" He smiled back at her and walked closer, wrapping his arms around her. They leaned in for a kiss when Lana cried again. "No, no, please no." Aisha muttered, but there was no need to worry for the baby was simple calling for their attention. Once both parents looked at her, Lana gave a little laugh.

"She sure likes the attention." Nabu commented and Aisha shook her head.

"I blame that on Flora. She spoils her too much." The fairy of waves complained and Nabu laughed.

"We all spoil her too much. I guess no one can turn down this cutie." He pinched the little girl's nose and she laughed again before extending her arms towards him. He picked her up gently and Aisha threw herself on the couch.

"I am just exhausted. I barely got any sleep last night and Stella decided to wake me up so early." She complained and Nabu sat by her side.

"Why didn't you get much sleep?" He asked.

"I guess I missed Lana. It was my first night away from her since she was born." She told the specialist and he laughed. "What's so funny?" She asked him a little angry.

"It's not really funny. It's just that only yesterday you were telling me how you were afraid that you weren't going to be a good mom, that you weren't meant for it. However, I think that this is a sign that you were wrong."

"I'm not following you." She said, confused.

"Aisha, you were unable to sleep because you missed her and worried about her. That's enough proof to me that you'll be an amazing mother, you care so much." That sweet comment earned him another kiss and once again their attention was called by the little girl.

"Okay, I think I know what will help us survive this day." Aisha said as she stood up. Nabu gave her a confused look. "Whenever I felt too tired or stressed, Flora would make me some wonderful tea. It's all natural, of course, but you won't believe how well it works."

"Well, I guess we should try it, then." He told her with a smile and Aisha went to Flora and Bloom's shared room, knowing that the nature fairy always left some tea on her night stand in case her friends needed it. She walked towards it when she noticed something on the ground. A picture that was turned upside down. She curiously picked it up and she saw a smiling man in the picture. It wasn't Helia, though, or Flora's father. No, it was someone Aisha was sure that Flora had never mentioned before.

"Who is he?" The fairy of waves muttered to herself as she sat on the bed and stared at the picture. The young man was attractive, with short blonde hair and brown eyes. He seemed to be in his early twenties. Aisha wondered if he might be an old boyfriend, but she didn't think that Flora would hide something like that from them. She turned the picture so she could examine it and saw a few words inscripted in a language she didn't understand.

Mon petit chat, 19 ans.

Je t'aime plus que Leo aimes l'art. Tu es mon meilleur ami, mon seul ami.

Je vais t'aimer pour toujours. Tu es marqué dans mon coeur.

(Translation:My little cat, 19 years.

I love you more than Leo loves art. You are my best friend, my only friend. I'll love you forever. You are marked upon my heart.)

Below these words was a small drawing of a black cat. Aisha didn't understand any of this, but one thing she knew: Flora owed her a few explanations. A cry coming from the other room reminded her of what she was supposed to be doing there. She got up from the bed, poured some tea in two teacups and brought them to the living room, never losing her grip on the portrait. She decided not to tell Nabu about her discoveries or anyone else. This wasn't her secret to share, so she would first ask Flora about it and then she would decide whether or not she should tell the rest of them.

Back at Limphea College...

Flora and some students were hiding from the basilisks inside of a Treant. The nature fairy decided to take a look to see if the beast was still after them.

"Stay here." She told the students as she climbed the three and checked. She was met by the beast and was almost petrified, but the branches blocked the rays as she fell to the ground after losing her grip due to the shock. Miele came just then and she quickly used a spell to send the basilisk away.

"Flora, you okay?" She asked her older sister, but before Flora could answer, a Treant appeared behind her and took her.

"No! Put her down, now!" Flora ordered the Treant and it lunged for her. "Nice try, Treant." The nature fairy said as she easily escaped it's grip and jumped high in the air. She took out a rope from her pocket and wrapped it around another Treant. "Enough!" She screamed as she flew around both Treants and tried to reach for Miele. The one that was holding her started walking away, so Flora jumped at it and taunted it.

As it tried to get her, it let go of Miele, but she was sent flying fast, unable to control her powers. Flora quickly went after her while using the rope and was able to catch her. As they landed safely on the ground, she felt a strong energy course through her. Within seconds, she found herself transformed back into a fairy.

"Flora, you look beautiful!" Miele said as she started at her older sister.

"It's true, then. Brave actions will earn us a new power, Bloomix." Flora said as she looked at herself, liking the new transformation. Then her attention went back to the monsters that the Trix had conjured. She didn't know what to do about the basilisks, but she knew that she could defeat the Treants. So she gathered all of her magic sent a spell that, finally, made all of them go back to normal.

"Well done, Flora!" Helia screamed as he came to join her. "I knew that you could do it!" The couple shared a passionate kiss when they heard a yell.

"Hey, lovebirds! How come everytime I see you two these days you're making out?" Aisha playfully asked as she appeared near them. Flora and Helia broke apart and looked at her, blushing.

"I guess it's the engagement thing. They can't take their hands off each other." Musa said with a smirk as the couple blushed even harder. "You know, maybe we should try it." She told Riven playfully, but he didn't miss the truth beneath that statement. After Stella and Brandon and Flora and Helia got engaged, he noticed how Musa seemed to be constantly talking about it and giving hints. Now he was sure that she wanted him to propose, but he wasn't ready. He might love her more than anything, but marriage is a big step and he wanted them to have more time as boyfriend and girlfriend before that happened.

"You two should definitely try it. You know that I'm cheering for you." Stella said as she came to them. Her face wasn't happy, but the earlier desperation and anguish from seeing Brandon get petrified were gone. Her expression showed instead determination and hope.

"Hey, Stell. How are you?" Flora asked as she glanced at Brandon, now reduced to a statue.

"I'm okay." The blonde answered. When they gave her unbelieving looks, she added. "Seriously, guys. I know that we will find a way to bring back Brandon. I also know that he would never want me to waste time crying, he would want me to find a way so we can be together again." She cried at the last part as she thought about how much she missed him already. The others quickly gathered around her for a group hug.

"That's the spirit!" Musa said excitedly once they pulled apart.

"Yes, Stell, you can do it." Aisha added and she gave her a bright smile. Before Stella could thank them, another basilisk came their way. Flora and Helia ran away with Miele close to them while Musa, Tecna, Timmy and Riven ran to the opposite side. Stella and Aisha were left alone as two beasts followed them.

"They're everywhere!" Stella said as they looked around the school to find many beasts.

"And headed this way" Aisha added as they watched in horror as two of them came their way.

"So what do we do now?" The blonde asked. Aisha quickly thought about it and she reminded Stella of the step she had taught them during their training session. The fairy of the shining sun wasn't too excited to perform it, remembering how she had done it wrong before. However, Aisha was able to persuade her and soon they did a triple backflip, avoiding the attacks and making the two basilisks encounter each other and petrify each other.

"Way to go, Stella. That was incredible!" Aisha said as they high fived.

"Thanks, Aisha. I learn from the best." All of sudden both felt a strong energy wrap around them and soon they found themselves transformed into their Bloomix. "Wow. These outfits rock!" Stella said excitedly as she looked at herself.

"Yeah, they do. But now, get ready!" Aisha told her while looking at two more basilisks coming their way.

"Don't worry, Aisha, I've got this." Stella concentrated and soon she was glowing yellow and she used her newfound powers to erase all of the basilisks. Once it was done, everyone around the school cheered.

"Hmm. What?" She heard the voice of the man she loved. She quickly flew up to him and his face turned into a smile. "I knew that you would save me, sunshine." He said as she neared him.

"I was scared for a second, I thought that I had lost you." Stella lowered her head as tears came to her eyes.

"Stella, look at me." Brandon said as he pulled her chin up so she could look at him. "You'll never have to lose me. As long as you love me, I'll always be here. You are my soulmate and I love you so much." She gave him a big smile.

"God, you are soooo cheesy." She laughed and he joined her. "But you are my cheesy fiancée and I love you." They shared a kiss as Musa and Riven cheered from the other side of the school. Tecna and Timmy watched their friends with smiles as he wrapped his arms around her. After what had happened, he didn't plan on ever letting go.

"You're not going anywhere, Flora." A witch said as Flora found herself surrounded by three of them. They had come out of nowhere and attacked her, Helia and Miele. Flora had asked him to keep an eye on her younger sister as she took care of the witches.

"I know, but you are." Flora sent a spell towards the witches and they were sent back to Cloud Tower. Miele smiled at the scene.

"I have the coolest sister." She told Helia and he smiled as well.

"I have no doubt about that." He said to her.

Back with Bloom...

The fire fairy was trying to keep the Trix at bay, but it was proving to be really hard. Never had she fought the three of them at the same time and she was having trouble with it. It was a good thing that a distraction came in the form of three witches flying towards Cloud Tower.

"What the hell? They're going the wrong way!" Icy complained.

"Lost your back up, Icy?" Bloom smirked although this didn't solve her situation. Just then, Aisha, Stella and Flora appeared near her and she was surprised for a second.

"Time to pack it up and move along!" Aisha said as she cast an attack towards the Trix.

"I was growing tired of this place anyways." Darcy said with a yawn before the Trxi left the fight with a killer look at the four fairies.

"I'm glad they're gone." Stella said.

"Me too. So, you already got your new powers?" Bloom asked as she looked at her friends.

"Yep. It wasn't even that hard." Stella said and they laughed. With the Trix gone, the girls decided to go back to Limphea College. They were welcome with applauses by the specialists and students. Everyone spent the next few minutes celebrating their victory against the Trix.

"Gosh, she is just so cute!" Miele was saying as she looked at baby Lana. Nabu had brought her after Aisha told him that everything was okay and the battle was over. The young girl was now holding the squirming baby in her arms.

"Isn't she?" Flora said while smiling. The baby extended her arms towards her and she gladly picked her up. "She's like the best niece ever. For now." She gave Miele a look and her sister just rolled her eyes. "Hey, think we could have lunch some other day?" Flora asked her, wanting to spend some time with her little sister that didn't involve fighting against the enemy.

"Sure. Just give me a call." Miele responded and they shared a hug.

"Okay, girls. We should get back to Alfea now because I am starving!" Stella said and everyone laughed. They said their last goodbyes to the students before the Winx went back to the ship while the specialists and paladins mounted their bikes.

Back at Cloud Tower...

The Trix watched as the Winx and students of Limphea College celebrated their victory. Anger was on the three witches faces as they thought about how they had failed to destroy the Winx once again.

"This is unbelievable!" Stormy complained as she sent a spell towards a nearby bookshelf, destroying it.

"Tell me about it. It's like we never have luck on our side." Darcy said.

"Then we better have it. Three of them don't have these stupid new powers yet, so we gotta destroy them before they do." Icy said firmly. It was a good plan, but how to put it into action was another subject.

"I don't get why the basilisks weren't enough. I guess the Winx are more powerful than you thought." Selina told the three. They gave her a look that made her want to run away.

"You've done your part here, Selina. Now, go." Icy commanded and the witch of snakes gladly left the room and went into her own. Getting there, she saw a woman sitting on her bed and she almost jumped.

"Hello, there, Selina." The woman had long curly blonde hair, brown eyes and creamy skin. She wore a long dark red dress that reached past her knees and a black necklace.

"You scared me, Catherine." The young girl commented as she walked into the room and closed the door behind her.

"My apologies, dear. I thought you'd be expecting me. After all, things didn't work out exactly as planned." The woman frowned

" They certainly didn't. The Winx are far more powerful than we had expected." Selina commented and the woman stood up.

"Indeed they are. When they lost their powers it was the perfect moment to attack, but now I must think of a new plan." Catherine looked outside the window thoughtfully. A new plan started forming on her mind.

"So what will we do?" Selina asked her.

"We'll let the Legendariun do the job for us. Soon." There was silence for a few minutes, both women lost in thought. Until Selina asked the question that had plagued her mind ever since she had met Catherine.

"So, will I ever learn anything about you? I mean, you know everything about me. All I know is that you want to destroy the Winx." Catherine gave her a stern look.

"When the time's right, maybe the whole truth will be revealed to you. For now all you need to know is that I have a plan and the Winx are standing in the way, so I must get rid of them. No matter what it takes, I won't fail." With that said, she disappeared, leaving Selina alone and confused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what did you think? Who do you think Catherine is? And why does she want to destroy the Winx? For those who are Acheron's fans, I'm sorry, but it would be too much to add him alongside the Trix, Selina and Catherine. There are too many villains already.
> 
> So did you like the Aisha and Nabu scenes? What about the Stella and Brandon and Tecna and Timmy? Did you like that I brought up the Omega Incident? It's weird how they never brought it up again in the series, considering it was major for Tecna and Timmy.
> 
> Next chapter we'll have cute Flora/Helia/baby Lana scenes, Musa and Riven cute scenes and Tecna/Musa friendship.


	6. Memories, discoveries and arrangements

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 5X05: Musa discoveries why Riven had been acting weird, Tecna and Musa have a disagreement, Aisha receives bad news, Flora and Helia make wedding plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people.This is chapter 6. It's crazy how things change over time, I had originally planned for this to be a short story, but now I think it might be more than 20 chapters. I apologize in advance that this chapter turned out even longer than the others. My mind has been crazy with theories and backstories for every character. Anyways, on with the chapter!

"Okay, girls. We should get back to Alfea now because I am starving!" Stella said and everyone laughed. They said their last goodbyes to the students before the Winx went back to the ship while the specialists and paladins mounted their bikes.

Two days later...

"No way! I can't believe it!" Musa was screaming with joy as the Winx were at Daphne's class. They had just been told by a late Daphne that they had been invited to visit the Golden Auditorium, which was known as the most exclusive music college in the Magic Dimension.

"And we get to come?" Flora asked, surprised.

"Of course! It will be a great opportunity for us to better explore the subjects we've covered so far." Daphne explained and Musa was almost jumping with joy.

"This is the best news ever! I can't wait!" The other laughed at her over excitement, but they were happy too. It would be a good opportunity to relax a bit and not think about the Trix. After class ended, the group of six walked along the corridors towards their dorm.

"So, Musa, you sure are excited!" Stella said and they all laughed.

"I'm glad we get to go there, Musa." Bloom said as she squeezed the music fairy's shoulder.

"Yeah, too bad I'll have to miss it." Aisha said with a frown. They gave her confused looks, having forgotten why she would miss their visit.

"Wait a second, you're not going?" Stella asked in disbelief.

"I have to go to Andros, remember?" The water fairy told them. "My parents have gone nuts and they want me to take the throne right now." She sighed as she thought of her parents. She had thought that their relationship had improved a lot, but it seemed like they were right back where they had started: them trying to force her to do something she didn't want to and her trying to argue with them. She didn't understand why they were doing this again.

"That's true. Good luck there, Aisha. I'm sure that your parents will see reason." Musa told her comfortingly and she gave the music fairy a smile.

"Thanks, Musa." Then it was Flora's turn to frown.

"I guess that means I can't go either. After all, Helia and I agreed to look after Lana while you and Nabu went to Andros." The Winx shared a sad look, not liking that they wouldn't be able to visit the Golden Auditorium together.

"That's a shame. I'm sure you would have loved it, Flo." Musa told her and she gave a grim smile.

"I'm sure I would've. At least I'll have some fun playing with my favorite niece." She smiled at the thought of spending an entire day with baby Lana.

"Good luck on that." Aisha said as the group of six reached their dorm. It was late at night, so most girls went to their room and changed into their pajamas so that they could get some sleep. It wasn't Musa and Tecna's case. Musa decided to call Riven and tell him about their visit and Tecna was feeling nervous because of her meeting with Timmy's parents the next day, so she decided to do what she always did when she was nervous: study.

"Hey, Riven, it's me." Musa told her boyfriend once his image appeared. She noticed that he wasn't in his bedroom, but at the stadium.

"Hi, what's up?" There was a rather nervous look in his face and Musa wondered why that was.

"We've all been invited to the Golden Auditorium. We leave tomorrow." The magenta haired specialist remembered how Musa had told him about how much she wanted to go there, so he smiled at her.

"That's great, Musa! I'm happy for you." He attempted to appear excited when truly he wasn't happy at all.

"Yeah. Look, is everything okay? Because you seem to be a bit out of it." She said and he cursed himself for not realizing she would be able to read him so well.

"I don't want to ruin your night, Musa." He told her seriously and the music fairy glared at him and shook her head.

"Riven, don't be stupid! If something's bothering you, you should tell me. I'm your girlfriend, for God's sake!" She screamed at him and his heart warmed at her words.

"Okay, okay. Calm down tiger. You remember how I told you about my mother?" She remembered it well, it had been one of the few times when he had confided in her.

"Yes, I do." She said simply, knowing this was a touchy subject for him.

"Well, I got a call today from the Magix police department. They have found her." Musa was shocked, she knew that Riven hadn't spoken to his mother since she had abandoned him 17 years ago.

"What do you mean with they found her?" She asked and his face turned into stone, something she knew he did when he was trying to conceal his tears.

"They found her body. They asked me to go there to identify her, because she told them about me before she died. They told me that she was killed by her husband and he went to jail." Musa had her hands on her mouth in shock.

"That's so terrible. I'm so sorry, Riven." He gave her a grateful smile.

"Can we stop talking about it? I don't want to keep thinking about these things, they are in the past, so they should remain there." She agreed and they spent the next few minutes talking about lighter subjects. Soon he hung up after telling her to go to sleep. She knew that she wouldn't be able to sleep now, so she took out her guitar and started playing.

"Can you not play that now?" Tecna asked as soon as she started playing. Musa gave her an incredulous look.

"You've got to be kidding me." It was the first time in ages that Tecna complained about her music.

"Musa, I'm trying to solve a complicated algorithm." Tecna furiously replied and Musa knew there was something wrong, but she was too emotional with what she had learned to care.

"Well, I'm not a fan of your algothingy. Why don't you not do that now?" Musa said and Tecna glared at her.

"Because an algorithm doesn't make any noise." Now Tecna had gone too far.

"So that's all my music is to you, just noise?" Musa was even more furious. She stood up and started walking towards the door, knowing she'd better leave before she too crossed a line. Suddenly, a pajamas clad and tired looking Bloom opened the door.

"Guys, what's going on?" The fire fairy asked them.

"Musa's putting on this tortured artist routine!" Tecna complained before she left the room.

"The only thing tortured is your inability to relax." Musa told her before she disappeared. Bloom gave her a confused look before going back to her own bedroom. Musa decided she'd better try to sleep now.

Aisha was forced to stay up for a while as well since she had an anxious and hungry baby waiting for her. She fed Lana, rocked her and stayed in the comfy chair with the baby in her arms until she truly fell asleep. While doing this, Aisha couldn't stop looking at the picture she had found in Flora's room two days ago. She had been meaning to ask the fairy of nature about it, but since the girls had spent all weekend with the specialists, she barely had the time. She was planning on asking the next day, once she came back from Andros.

"Maybe it's nothing, maybe he was just an old friend to whom she doesn't speak anymore." She muttered to herself as she stared at the handsome young man in the picture. "But again, maybe this is something more. After all, why wouldn't she tell us about it? We're best friends!" Little Lana gave out a cry and Aisha took that as a sign she agreed with her. It took over two hours before the baby was finally asleep and Aisha fell into bed, exhausted.

The next day...

The Winx woke up at 9 am and went to their morning classes unusually happy due to their visit later. Soon it was already 1 pm and they decided to have lunch in Magix with the specialists. Roxy met them in the hallway and she decided to go with them, claiming she had great news to tell them. So the first thing anyone did after they reached their table at the restaurant was ask her what it was all about.

"Well, I was talking to my parents yesterday because they insist on me contacting them every day to tell them how I'm doing. Right now they're in Greece for vocations. So anyways, last night they decided that almost giving me a heart attack was a good idea." The fairy of animals rolled her eyes at her parents' actions the night before. It was clear the two of them didn't know anything about teenagers anymore.

"Okay, but what about the great news you mentioned before? Tell me or I might die!" Stella dramatically said and everyone laughed. They were used to her being a drama queen, so it was nothing new.

"Okay. So, well... I..." Roxy stammered as she tried to come up with a good way of telling them. Bloom started getting worried after seeing Roxy's nervousness, but soon it was gone and a huge smile came to the younger girl's face. "I'm going to become a big sister!" There was only silence after that statement as everyone stared at her dumbly as the meaning of her words took a while to sink in.

"A big sister? How's that going to happen?" Brandon asked and Stella glared at him.

"Brandon, stop! You're embarrassing me!" The blonde complained as she looked exasperatedly at her fiancée while shaking her head.

"I didn't get it either." Sky silently said as Bloom gave him a look.

"What Roxy is trying to tell us, my dear not so clever friends, is that her mother is now pregnant. Therefore, she will become a big sister soon." Aisha sarcastically told them as she rolled her eyes. The two boys mentally facepalmed as they realized what she had said.

"That's so great, Roxy. I'm happy for you!" Bloom told the younger girl before hugging her. Each of the Winx then had their turn and a happy mood fell over them. The food soon came and they started eating it while talking lightly.

"So, how do you feel about this?" Musa asked her.

"Well, I guess it hasn't really sunk in yet. I mean, they just told me yesterday." Roxy said and they understood.

"Yeah, I remember when Aisha told me she was pregnant. It took me a good while too." Nabu said as he recalled when he had found out that he was going to become a father.

"I'm sure you'll be a great sister, Roxy. Maybe I can give you some tips, since I have a younger sister." Flora told the young girl with a comforting smile.

"Thanks. I hope everything will turn out alright." Roxy returned the smile. Then, Tecna gasped and everyone looked at her.

"Would you look at that! We are supposed to be meeting with Daphne in like ten minutes!" She exclaimed as she gave Bloom, Musa and Stella a horrified look.

"Oh, my. We should get going too." Aisha stated as she and Nabu got up. They congratulated Roxy again, handed Lana over to Flora and left in a hurry. They quickly took a bus that would ride over all the planets of the Magic Dimension and prayed that they got to Andros soon.

The others finished their meals quickly before going separate ways. The specialists decided to go back to Limphea College and train while the Winx plus Helia took a bus to Alfea. Getting there, the girls said goodbye to Flora and Helia before meeting with Daphne while the couple went to the girls' dorm room.

With Aisha and Nabu...

The young couple reached Andros about an hour later, thirty minutes after the scheduled time with her parents. They ran towards the castle and by the time they reached the throne room, they were out of breath.

"Hello, Aisha, dear. There you are." Queen Niobe said as she rose from her throne and walked towards her daughter before giving her a tight hug. King Erendor was next as he stood up with a bit of difficulty and Nabu realized that something was different about him.

"We were starting to get worried." He told Aisha before moving to hug her as well. Soon they pulled apart and the queen hugged Nabu while the king shook his hand. Aisha noticed how her father's hand trembled a bit and she wondered why he was so nervous.

"Please, take a sit." King Erendor instructed and the two couples sat in the rounded table that was covered with food and drinks.

"Where is Lana? Why didn't you bring my adorable grand-daughter here?" The queen asked as she frowned at them. If there was someone that loved spending time with little Lana and spoiling her as much as Flora, it was queen Niobe. Aisha would have never expected her mother to be like this, considering how she had grown up, but she always guessed it was different when you became a grandmother.

"We thought it would be best not to bring her here. She's staying with Flora and Helia." Nabu responded and the queen nodded her head in understanding.

"Father, are you alright?" Aisha asked as she looked at king Erendor. He seemed more nervous than she had ever seen him and there was something else she had never seen: fear. He was afraid of something.

"That's one of the reasons we have called you here." The queen answered for him and Aisha's attention went back to her.

"I don't understand." Queen Niobe's face fell as she started explaining to her daughter.

"My dear daughter, I know that you're wondering why your father and I are pressuring you to take over Andros in such a bad time, when you just had a baby and need time to rest." Aisha was surprised to hear it, maybe it meant that she had been wrong when she had assumed her relationship with her parents had reverted to what it used to be.

"It crossed my mind." She said simply as she waited for more explanations.

"Well, you see,..." King Erendor interrupted his wife as he gave her a firm look.

"My dear, maybe I should be the one to tell her." He said and the queen nodded before remaining silent. In a a rare gesture, he took Aisha's hand in his and looked deeply at her. "Aisha,my beautiful and brave daughter, I'm afraid that I must tell you that I am not well. A few days ago, it was discovered that I might be falling ill, but no one knows exactly what it is." Aisha gasped as she looked at her father in horror. This couldn't be happening. "That's why your mother and I want to know that you and Nabu are ready to take the throne in case..." Aisha interrupted him before he could finish the sentence.

"No! Don't you dare say it, father." She pulled her hand from his and rose from her chair. She looked between her parents in hope that one of them would tell her it wasn't true, her father wasn't sick. When it didn't come, the weight of his words fell on her and she felt herself falling. Thankfully, Nabu knew her all too well and he got to her before she reached the ground.

"Aisha, my love, maybe you should lie down." He said as he realized how pale she looked.

"That's a good idea, Nabu." The queen said as she stood up. Giving her daughter a grim look, she looked back at her son-in-law." Take her to her room, she needs time. When you're ready to talk to us, send a servant to reach us." Nabu picked Aisha up and she wrapped her arms tightly against his neck. He knew that she was holding herself not to cry in public, so he hurried to her room and set her on the bed. As he looked at the small crib that was located near the bed, he found himself grateful that they hadn't brought Lana.

Back at Alfea...

Flora and Helia didn't have much trouble taking care of little Lana. As difficult and agitated as she was with her parents, with them she was calm and adorable. They had no trouble getting her to sleep after Flora fed her using the bottle Aisha left there for them. It was already 4 pm by the time she went to sleep, so the couple decided to have a snack. Together, they prepared chocolate cookies and Flora made them the same tea she always made.

"Hmmm... Those cookies are just delicious!" Helia told the nature fairy as he put a huge piece of cookie in his mouth. She laughed at him before her expression turned more serious. He noticed the change and started getting worried. "Hey, are you okay?" He gently asked.

"I am, it's just... I see the way you are with Lana, you really love her." She told him and he didn't understand why she sounded so serious.

"I do, but I love all children. I just don't get why it seems to upset you." She sighed before telling him.

"We never really talk about having children because I always told you that was a delicate subject." Flora stated and he was confused.

"That's true. I don't understand why, though. You are so good with her, I see that you love her just as much as I do. I know that you'd make a wonderful mother, so I don't understand why you wouldn't want to have children of your own." Flora sighed once again.

"I have my reasons." Reasons she could never tell him, because they were much bigger than anyone could've guessed. "But most of all, I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of becoming a mother. I'm hoping that as time passes, I will change my mind, but I need you to know that's how I feel right now." He still didn't get it, but he didn't have time to respond because a cry broke their conversation.

"Well, I guess someone wants to take part in the conversation." Helia lightly said as he stood up and walked towards the crib. He gently picked up Lana as he looked at Flora. "Am I holding her right?" He asked a bit worried as the baby kept crying. Flora's mind was filled with memories as she stared at them both.

Many years ago...

Flora looked at the young boy with golden hair and brown eyes as he attempted to hold the crying baby. The little girl in his arms didn't seem satisfied with the position she was in, her green eyes stared into Flora's as if asking for help.

"Why's she crying? Am I not holding her right?" The boy asked as he gave her a panicked look. Flora laughed at him and she shook her head. "Hey, don't laugh, this isn't funny."

"I know." She responded, while still smiling. She walked towards him and adjusted the baby sos he could be more comfortable. "There you go. Isn't this much more comfortable, little petal?" She cooed and the baby smiled before extending her little arms towards her. Flora let the little girl hold her thumb with her tiny hands as she smiled at the baby.

"How come you're so great with children?" The boy asked as he looked at her impressively.

"I don't know. Maybe I was meant to be a mother." She told him while looking at the baby.

"All girls are meant to be mothers. But there's something more when it comes to you, something different. Well, maybe when you have children you'll be able to come up with good names for them." Both laughed as they looked at the little girl.

"Well, I'm sure that I can come up with something better than Claude." Flora told him and he frowned.

"That's not only a terrible name, but it's also a boy's name. Just imagine when she grows up, poor thing." The two laughed again and this time the baby joined them.

"Don't say it so loud, Will. Someone might hear you." She scolded him after their laughter passed.

"So? He should definitely hear it, he might come back to his senses and come up with a better name." Flora shook her head at the boy. He was just incorrigible. But he was also her best friend and the only person she trusted, so she decided that stay quiet. Soon a woman came to join them. She had red hair, blue eyes and fair skin. She smiled at the two teens before she looked at the baby.

"William, you look so good with her. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful father someday, just like yours." The woman kindly said as she approached them.

"Thanks, hm, your majesty." The boy answered rather nervously before he handed the baby back to the woman.

"You too, dear Flora. When you have children, they will be lucky to have you as their mother." The woman told Flora, who smiled back at her before curtseying.

"Thank you, your majesty." The woman gave her a kind smile before walking away with the child in her arms. Flora watched her and sighed.

"Flora? Flora?" The nature fairy was awakened from her thoughts by her boyfriend, who was staring at her worriedly.

"I'm sorry, I was just distracted. Here, I'll help you." Flora gave him a smile before she walked towards them and adjusted Lana's position in his arms. Helia was unconvinced by her smile, he knew her well enough to know when she was lying. Well, most times.

"What were you thinking about?" He asked. She answered without even having to think.

"When I saw you with Lana, I was reminded of my dad, when Miele came. He was just as lost as you are and my mom was there to help him. I am certain that you'll be as amazing as he is if we ever have children." She knew exactly what to say to keep him from questioning her further. His worried face turned into a smile as he walked towards her and kissed her passionately. She kissed him back with as much passion and tried to push back her guilty conscience. They had to break apart soon due to Lana's cries at being squished. Both stared happily at the little girl as for a moment they wondered what it would be like to have their own child.

With the Winx...

The Winx had had a great visit to the Golden Auditorium, if it wasn't for a trick played by the Trix. The three witches had unleashed pandemonium sprites with Selina's help and the small monsters had filled the Auditorium. The Winx had tried fighting them, but the small creatures had been able to knock them out, only Tecna and Musa remained. The two friends had put aside their fight and worked together to fight against the sprites, earning their Bloomix power as a reward.

Once they had gotten rid of the sprites and the others had awaken, the four girls had been congratulated by Diletta, head of the school and Daphne's old friend. "Winx, we are eternally grateful. Thank you so much for saving our college." She was thanking them. "Specially you two, Musa and Tecna. You have created a wonderful song that will forever echo through our halls."

"I can't believe you came up with it in the midst of such pandemonium." Daphne told the two girls with a proud smile.

"Well, it was Tecna's idea." Musa quickly said and Tecna glared at her before objecting.

"No, it was all you, Musa." Bloom smiled at her friends before interrupting the argument before it truly started.

"Now that's arguing I can handle." She said and everyone laughed. The girls then said goodbye to Diletta and her students before walking out of the college.

"Will you girls be okay getting back to Alfea? I have to go... somewhere." Daphne said and blushed at the last part.

"Somewhere, huh?" Stella said with a knowing smile.

"You wouldn't by any chance be meeting Thoren tonight, now would you?" Bloom said playfully and winked at her.

"Yes, in fact. He asked me on a date, so I really should get going." Daphne quickly said and she walked away after giving Bloom a hug. The fire fairy didn't miss the dreamy look on her face and she smiled at her sister. It was good to finally see her happy. But there was still something bothering her when it came to Thoren. After all, Bloom still didn't know why Sky didn't like him.

"Speaking of dates, shouldn't you be going too, Tecna?" Stella asked the technology fairy, who looked rather upset before answering.

"I would, but Timmy's parents decided to reschedule. We're meeting them in about 10 days." The technology fairy answered.

"That's weird. But I guess it gives you more time to prepare." Musa said and Tecna looked at her surprisingly.

"That's very logical, Musa. Thanks for helping me calm down." The two friends hugged, glad to be at peace with each other.

"Well, I'm glad you two are friends again. Now, excuse me, cause I'm goin to meet up with Sky. I think I'll be staying there, so don't wait for me tomorrow." Bloom said and she left them with a smile. the others decided they'd better get back to Alfea. They found Flora and Helia playing with baby Lana in the living room and no signs of Aisha.

Back with Aisha and Nabu...

For over an hour Nabu stayed by Aisha's side in the bed as she silently cried over what she had been told. The young man felt his heart break at the sight of her in such a terrible state and he wished that there was something he could do. But the only thing he could do was hold her while she cried.

"Thanks, Nabu." He was so lost in his own pain and the feeling of uselessness that he didn't even notice that she had stopped crying.

"Of course. You know that I'll always be there for you." He gently responded and she gave him a small smile.

"I do know that. After all, you have proved it after staying by my side all this time. I know it mustn't have been easy."

"It was easy because all I had to do was remind myself of how much I loved you. Even when you were screaming bloody murder." They laughed at the reminder of the day she had given birth to their daughter and how furious she had been.

"I wasn't prepared for this." She looked at her knees as she hugged them and her face went grim.

"I don't think anyone was, Aisha." He told her gently as he moved closer to wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"No, what I meant was that I had never considered the possibility of my father..." She didn't finish the sentence, but she was able to stop herself from crying. "It's just it seems like it will last forever with my parents. I never really thought about what I'd do if they passed away."

"But you don't have to think about it now. The king might be sick, but we'll find a way to save him. I promise you, Aisha, I'll do anything I can to save your father." She looked deeply into his eyes and they shared a kiss filled with fear and pain, but also hope. The couple was broken apart by the door opening and Aisha's parents stood there for a few seconds.

"Can we come in?" The queen asked and Aisha nodded her head. Both her parents entered the room and sat down on comfy chairs.

"Aisha, I know that what I told you earlier has shaken you, but you have to be strong, my child. I know t seems like forever, but I won't always be around. You are a mature and brave young woman and I have full confidence and trust in you." Her father told her and Aisha did something uncharacteristic of their family: she threw herself in his arms. They stayed like that for a few minutes while Nabu and her mother watched them with rather grim expressions on their faces.

"I just never thought that I'd have to lose you so soon, father." Aisha said once they pulled apart.

"I know, my dear. But you have to be prepared. You are crown princess, the only heir to the throne. It will be your responsibility to look after this kingdom once I'm gone." He told her firmly and Aisha looked away.

"I know that it's my responsibility, but I am not ready." Her mother gave her a firm but kind look.

"You don't have to be ready, yet. We'll find a way to save your father. However, what happened has showed me that it's about time you start getting ready to take the throne. So I would like it if you were to resume your queen training. Aisha frowned at the thought of training, but she understood that it was necessary.

"Okay." Her parents gave her surprised looks at how easily she complied. "I understand that this is necessary. So I agree to go back to training as long as I still get to help my friends save the Magic Dimension." Her parents looked at each other before nodding.

"Okay, then it's settled. Your mother will be teaching you everything you need to know about being the queen of Andros." Her father said and then his eyes went to the other occupant of the room who had been silent. "And I'll teach you how to be king, Nabu. By the time you two take the throne, you will be ready."

"Thank you, your highness. And might I add that I will do everything in my power to ensure that you live a long and happy life." Nabu vowed as he looked at his father in law. The two man shared a quick hug before the young couple realized it was getting late and they had to get back to their daughter. So they said their goodbyes to Aisha's parents and took the bus back to Alfea.

Back with Flora and Helia...

"You know, I was thinking, we should get married in October." Helia told Flora later that night, after she had put Lana to sleep. They were sitting on the couch as they waited for Aisha and Nabu's return.

"October? Why?" Flora questioned. October wasn't a great month to get married, it was fall and she had assumed he would like to get married during spring.

"I know it's not spring like we wanted, but I just can't wait to marry you." He told her and they kissed once again.

"You're so sweet, but I still want to get married during spring." She laughed as he frowned, but then his face turned back into a smile.

"Well, since you're the fairy of nature, I guess you could use a spell to make it look like spring." He told her and she was impressed by his cleverness.

"That's a great idea. That way I can marry you sooner. I guess it's settled then, October." They leaned in for another kiss when the clock ticked, signalling it was midnight already. "I didn't notice it was getting so late." Flora commented and Helia immediately stood up and started looking for his coat. "Hey, what're you doing?" She asked him, confused and unhappy.

"Sorry, flower, but I have early training tomorrow. Think you can take care of Lana until Aisha gets back?" He told her and she pouted, not liking that he was leaving her.

"I guess I don't have a choice." She said as she followed him to the balcony. A mischievous smile came to her face. "Unless I can convince you to stay." She said as she pulled him closer for a deep and heated kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist as he caressed her back. He regrettably pulled apart after a few seconds.

"You almost had me convinced, but this training's important. I'll see you tomorrow." He told her and laughed at her pouting face. Then she used magic to make his bike appear and he mounted it. After another kiss, he went back to Red Fountain.

Flora went back to her room with a smile. She looked around the room for a while before reaching into the secret compartment under her pillows. She pulled out a huge book with a red cover and opened it. She smiled at the image displayed there before she looked for the picture she always kept there. Upon not finding it, she started getting worried, so she quickly hid the book and started looking for it around the room. She was so concentrated on her search that she didn't even realize that someone else was in the room.

Aisha watched as Flora frenetically searched around the room and she guessed this had something to do with the picture she had taken. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help herself. So she slowly walked around the room while Flora was searching and hid in Bloom's closet. It concealed her well and she was able to see what was happening with Flora. A few minutes later, Flora sat on the bed.

"Well, this is not good. But I guess it could've been worse." The nature fairy muttered to herself as a panicked look came to her face. Then her expression changed to a relaxed smile, leaving Aisha confused.

"I guess I can keep this to myself for now. After all, it's between me and Helia." Now Aisha was really confused. Then she watched as the nature fairy reached under her pillows and pulled out a small box. Aisha had a feeling she knew exactly what it was and she hoped that she was wrong. However, her suspicions were confirmed when Flora pulled out an engagement ring. A ring that Aisha knew very well that didn't belong to Helia because that one was on Flora's finger.

"I guess I don't need this anymore." Flora muttered to herself as she stared at the ring. Then she put it back in the box and hid it under her pillows. With a satisfied smile, the nature fairy fell asleep only a few seconds after lying down. Aisha slowly got out of her hiding spot and went back into her room. All she could think was that now she was sure that Flora was hiding something and something big. She really needed to ask her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? This chapter was filled with news. Did you like the Roxy/big sister plot? What about king Erendor, what's going to happen to him?
> 
> What about Flora and Helia? Why is Flora so afraid of having children? And who was the child in her flashbacks? Also, what do you think about the engagement ring?


	7. Party crashers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First part of 6X04: At Daphne's coronation, Bloom feels happy for her sister, though her suspiscios about Thoren keep rising. Sky finally reveals the truth about his history with Thoren, but there's no time for them to discuss it due to the Trix and Selina. Catherine lets them work as she pays a visit to Alfea.  
> With Bloom's life on the line, will the Winx win without her help?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people, it's been a while. Fisrt of all, there are two important things about this chapter: First, it will be Sky and Thoren's time to shine. I decided to give a whole new backstory to them, because I thought the one they were given was terrible. And second, I had to split it in two parts because it was too big. Happy reading!

ALSO, I FORGOT TO MENTION: I've recently got addicted to making videos, so I decided to make one for each Winx. Right now I have one made in honor of Musa, so for anyone who's interested, check it out.

The link is: watch?v=R4-pWXIRfTo

At Domino...

"Oh, Daphne, I'm so happy for you." Bloom was telling her older sister as they were sitting on two comfortable chairs in the nymph's bedroom. It had been 10 days since the visit to the Golden Auditorium and things had calmed down in the Magic Dimension. The Trix had been rather quiet, which worried the Winx, but the fairies also seized the time without any threats from the witches to visit their families.

Stella and Brandon had gone to Solaria as her parents had wanted to discuss the couple's engagement. Even after years of their romance, King Radius still felt uncertain about their relationship. However, with Stella and Luna help, Brandon was able to convince him that he would make a great king and that he was the right person for Stella, so everything turned out alright for them.

Musa and Riven had gone to his mother's funeral after she insisted a lot. He had been reluctant to go see the woman who had abandoned him and only complied because his girlfriend had her ways of convincing him. After the funeral, they had gone to Melody so that Musa could see her father and the couple could have some time to relax.

Tecna and Timmy had stayed in Alfea as they worked on building a device that could help in the fight against the Trix. The technology fairy found herself more anxious as the day of the meeting with his parents came closer. Timmy tried to calm her by saying he was sure that his parents would love her, but it didn't work so well.

Aisha and Nabu had stayed with her father in Andros. A healing expert had come from Limphea to aid the King, but she didn't have much luck. His illness was still unknown and he got worse each day. Aisha worried about her father and the possibility of her having to take the throne, but most of all she worried about Flora and what secrets her friend held. She knew that she had to talk to her and get the truth, but right now her father needed her most. She was glad that Nabu was there to help her, because she was sure she'd crumble if she had to do this alone.

Flora and Helia had gone to Limphea so they could spend time with their parents. Helia's father was captain of the army, so that's how he knew Princess Krystal. The couple was happier than ever and they made sure to spend as much time together as they could. Miele soon came to join their family as she had a few days off Limphea College. The two sisters seized the moment to catch up on their lives.

Helia didn't miss how Flora seemed to be nervous, but he restrained himself from asking about it. He knew that if it was something important, she would've told him. Of course, she couldn't tell him that the reason she was so anxious was because she had yet to find the picture of Will and she worried someone might've found out about him. The fairy of nature tried her best to suppress the feeling that her secrets might be revealed soon and focus on the fun she was having with her family and fiancée.

Daphne and Bloom had returned to Domino with Thoren and the blonde princess had gotten even closer to him. The two hadn't defined themselves as a couple yet, but they were definitely close. On this particular day, everyone would be going to Domino for the celebration of Daphne's coronation. Royals around all the Magic Dimension had been invited to the grand party and the blonde princess couldn't be more nervous.

"Thanks, Bloom. I'm just a little nervous." The blonde princess responded to her sister's previous statement. That was an understatement.

"Don't worry, Daphne. We're in this together. You should focus on being happy that you're finally becoming crown princess today." Bloom gave her older sister a huge smile that warmed Daphne's heart.

"I like that. You're right, Bloom.." Daphne said and the two sisters hugged. All of sudden, a green light appeared and they almost jumped, but calmed down once they realized that it was just Flora and Helia.

"Sorry for scaring you. I should have told you before that we were coming earlier." The nature fairy apologized. She was already dressed in her green ballgown while Helia was wearing a dark blue suit.

"It's no problem, Flo. Thanks for coming." Bloom said as she got up to hug the nature fairy.

"Of course." Flora said after their hug. She gave Daphne a warm smile. " How could we miss such an important day?" Daphne smiled back at her before standing up as well for a hug.

"So, is anyone here yet?" Helia asked as he noticed that Bloom and Daphne were the only ones in the room. The fire fairy had a thoughtful look on her face.

"That's a good question. I'll check it out." Bloom responded as she went towards the balcony. Flora and Helia went to Bloom's room so that they could leave their things. Getting there, he carefully put their suitcases on the assigned place.

"So, what do you want to do?" He asked her and Flora didn't even have to think before answering.

"Well, I would love to check the garden." He smiled, already knowing she'd say that.

"Well, the, let's go." She frowned as she remembered the reason she had come here earlier. Upon not finding the picture, Flora was sure one of her friends were in it's possession. Since Bloom was her roommate, it was more likely that she had it, so Flora had arrived earlier for the coronation so that she could ask Bloom about it.

"Hey, is everything okay?" He asked upon seeing her frown.

"Yes, of course. I just remembered there is something I need to discuss with Bloom, you know, girl stuff." She smiled at him and walked closer so that she could wrap her arms around his neck. "So, why don't you wait for me? I'll be there soon." Helia leaned in to kiss her before answering.

"Okay." He said once they broke apart. So he went to the gardens while Flora walked towards Daphne's room.

At Cloud Tower...

The Trix were reunited in the main room with Selina and an unusual guest. Said guest was none other than Diaspro, Sky's ex-fiancée and one of the Winx's enemies. The blonde girl had tried many times to break Bloom and Sky apart, going as far as working for Valtor. Now she had a new plan: joining the Trix.

"So, you wanna join the dark side, huh?" Icy taunted Diaspro as her sisters snickered.

"It's in your best interest. I know how to get to Bloom." Diaspro said with an evil smile. The thought of getting rid of Bloom brought joy to her as she believed with the fire fairy gone, it wouldn't be too hard to get to Prince Sky's heart.

"That sounds interesting." Darcy said, for once not having that bored look on her face.

"Selina, I bet that book of yours can get to Bloom faster." Icy told the witch of snakes, who had been quiet so far. Diaspro frowned at the icy witch.

"Yes, I have got the perfect story." Selina answered after taking the book. She smiled evilly at the Trix. "Under the palace of Domino, there is the vortex of flames. It's magic is so fierce that not even Bloom could stand up to it." Stormy came to her side as she took a look at a picture in the book.

"Really? A burning pit? That's so boring." She told Selina as she rolled her eyes.

"That's too bad, because the vortex of flames is also home to the fire eaters." Selina continued and Darcy laughed as she looked at the picture of the fire eaters.

"Now you're talking. We'll fight fire with fire!" She said excitedly and Icy smiled at the plan.

"Funny you should mention Domino, cause I got invited to a party there today." Diaspro turned their attention back to her as she showed them the invitation to Daphne's coronation that she had stolen. "You won't find a better connection than this."

"Okay. You'll go to this little party and find a way to destroy Bloom and then, maybe you can have a future with us." Icy told her in a warning tone.

"No problem. I should get going now." Diaspro said and she used her magic to disappear and then go to Domino. The Trix looked at each other while she was gone.

"She sure has potential, but we can't trust such an important job to her." Darcy told her sisters and they nodded their heads in agreement.

"That will be left for you, Selina. You'll release those fire things, when the time is right." Icy told the witch of snakes, who nodded her head.

"Of course. May I be excused now?" She asked them, knowing she would have to talk to Catherine.

"Why in such a hurry?" Darcy asked her as she looked at her suspiciously.

"I just think that you three should plan this out, since you're the bosses here. I'll take some time to see if maybe I have an even better story." Seline lied and her words did the trick. The Trix easily excused her and she was able to get back to her room. To no surprise, Catherine was once again sitting in the bed.

"Hello, dear." The blonde woman told her, a smile on her face that made Selina feel a bit uneasy.

"Hi, Catherine. I have news." She sat down on her bed by Catherine's side.

"I already know about the Trix's new plan. I've been watching you." Catherine stood up and walked towards the table where there was a brush. She picked it up, sat down and started brushing her long blonde hair. Selina was confused by her actions, but she was used to being surprised when it came to Catherine.

"So, what do you think?" Catherine looked back at her with a smile,which Selina took as a good sign.

"It's a good plan. By destroying Bloom we'll be rid of the most powerful of them, so it won't be too hard to take care of the others. But I still need you to make sure that the plan doesn't fail, so keep an eye on that Diaspro girl." She advised Selina.

"Okay. I hope you don't mind me asking, but why are you brushing your hair?" She hoped Catherine wouldn't get mad by the question.

"I'm getting ready for a little visit to Alfea. There's something that I need to retrieve there." Catherine said as she picked a hair clip and used it to do her hair. "Now, can I trust that you'll take care of everything here?" She asked Selina and the young girl nodded. "Good. Now, by the time I come back, I expect Bloom to be eliminated." She warned Selina and then she was gone.

Back at Domino...

Bloom looked down on the balcony and soon she spotted Sky and Thoren walking. She could hear Thoren talking and a smile came to her face.

"Hey, Sky, does Bloom talk to you about Daphne? Like, whether or not she talks about me?" The brown hair male was asking his cousin rather nervously. Sky was too busy looking at his phone as he talked to his father to pay much attention to Thoren.

"Huh, what?" Sky looked at him confusingly.

"Hey, Sky and Thoren." Bloom called the two and she didn't miss how Thoren blushed as he realized that she had been listening to their conversation.

"Hey, Bloom. I was just talking about you guys, with Sky. At least trying to." Thoren nervously said and Sky lifted his head again at the mention of his name.

"Wait, what?" He asked and Thoren laughed.

"Man, you're out of it today." He said and Sky's attention went back to his phone.

"Sorry about that. I have to go." Sky said and then he was gone. Thoren had a confused look on his face as he scratched his head.

"I wonder what that was that all about?" Bloom asked herself after Thoren was gone. All of sudden, she felt a wave of weakness and she had to hold onto the balcony for support. Her head also started hurting and she was confused. "What the hell?" She muttered. Unfortunately she missed the figure that walked around the castle. Wearing a long red dress, Diaspro smiled as her plan started working.

"Bloom! Are you okay?" Flora asked her after she saw the fire fairy. Deciding now was not the time to ask her about the picture, the nature fairy ran to her friend and embraced her.

"I feel so weak." Bloom complained as she tried to stay upright. Flora helped her walk back into the room and sit in the bed. Just then a dressed up Daphne came out of the bathroom.

"Bloom, is everything okay?" She worriedly asked as she watched Flora pretty much drag Bloom to the bed.

"I'm okay." Bloom said after she sat down and the spinning and the pain in her head diminuted.

"Are you sure?" Flora asked, unconvinced. Then she stood up. "I'll get you a glass of water, stay here." As soon as the nature fairy was gone, Daphne sat down on the bed.

"Hey, are you sure that everything's okay?"

"I'm fine, Daphne." The blonde princess was still unconvinced.

"Maybe we should cancel the party. You probably need to rest." Daphne said and Bloom looked at her determinately.

"Of course not. This is your party and I'd never want you to cancel it." Daphne smiled at her and they hugged. Flora came back in that moment and she smiled at the two sisters.

"Here is your water." She told Bloom as she gave it to her. The fire fairy drowned in the water, suddenly feeling rather thirsty. Just then Bloom's phone rang and Kiko, her bunny, brought it to her.

"Great, the girls have arrived. Let's go." She told Flora and Daphne and managed to stand up. Both looked at her and, after realizing that she seemed fine, followed her outside. Once they were out of the room, the sisters went to the ballroom while Flora followed the opposite direction, towards the gardens.

"Hey, girls, what have we missed?" Bloom asked once they met the rest of the Winx in the ballroom.

"You're just in time!" Stella screamed excitedly and Bloom raised her eyebrows, knowing the sun fairy.

"In time for what?" Daphne asked.

"Okay. But please, Stella, don't make it too much." Aisha told the sun fairy in a warning tone and Bloom and Daphne were confused until they watched as Stella cast her magic not on them as they had expected, but on the child lying in Aisha's arms. Little Lana soon disappeared in a yellow glow and when she came back, she was dressed in a purple dress with little pink shoes.

"Awwwww! She looks way too cute." Musa said as everyone stared at the baby girl. Little Lana smiled at them and let out a scream which they assumed meant that she had liked it as well.

"Seriously, Flora's gonna die when she sees this! Where is she, by the way?" Aisha asked Bloom and Daphne.

"I think she went to meet Helia." Bloom responded and Stella rolled her eyes.

"Those two are starting to get on my nerves, I mean, they can't stay away from each other from one second."The blonde complained.

" I think it's cute." Bloom said with a smile.

"Besides, they're engaged, Stella. It's natural for couples to want to spend as much time together as possible when they are engaged, as a way to prepare themselves for when they are married." Tecna added and the girls gave her that typical look for when she was too technical.

"So does that mean that you and Timmy might be tying the knot soon?" Musa asked with a smirk and Tecna blushed.

"I don't think so. I haven't even met his parents yet." The technology fairy responded.

"Brandon and I are engaged and we're not like those two." Stella screamed, having completely missed the exchange of words between Tecna and Musa.

"I think each couple is different, Stel. But now come on, it's time." Bloom ended the discussion and she took Daphne's hand as they walked towards the curtain where their parents had instructed them to enter the ballroom. As they came out, there were multiple cheers from the guests.

"Someone can't take their eyes off you." Bloom whispered in Daphne's ear as she noticed that Thoren was staring at her. Daphne blushed before returning the smile he had given her.

"As king of Domino I am proud to bestow upon my oldest daughter, Daphne, the title of crown princess." King Oritel said as he and his wife stood up and looked at the crowd.

"This belongs to you now. Wear it with honor." Queen Marion said as she put the crown in Daphne's head. It was a family heritage, having been passed from generations for hundreds of years. "I'm so proud of you, darling." Mother and daughter hugged and Bloom proudly watched the scene. Once they pulled apart, Daphne turned back to her new subjects.

"I promise to do my best for Domino and it's people. It's an honor to be crown princess of this beautiful planet." Daphne said and everyone cheered for her. In that moment, with her family and friends supporting her and all these people cheering for her, she felt like this is what she was meant for.

At Alfea...

Catherine easily got into the school. Although the magic barrier was on, she wasn't afraid of being detected for she had the perfect excuse to be there. As soon as she arrived, Miss Griselda, who had been covering for Miss Faragonda while she was on Domino, spotted her.

"Good afternoon, miss. May I know who you are?" The brown haired woman suspiciously asked Catherine.

"Of course, madam. I am Diane, a fairy and journalist from Earth. I've come to meet the famous fairies, the Winx. I talked to them a few weeks ago." Catherine knew that once the Winx came back they would tell Griselda that they didn't know her, but since she only needed to get into Alfea once, she didn't mind. Miss Griselda kept looking at her suspiciously.

"I don't recall them mentioning it before." Catherine started getting impatient, but she knew better than to let her anger get the best of her.

"I'm sure they've forgotten about it. That's too bad. I still wonder if I could look around the school maybe, I've never seen a fairy's school before." Something about her made Griselda trust her, so she was allowed to look around the campus. She easily found the Winx dorm room and entered it. She went straight into Bloom and Flora's room.

"Now where is it?" She asked herself as she looked around. Spotting a picture of Flora and Helia on the nature fairy's desk, she picked it up. "Now this is unacceptable. Who do they think they are?" She angrily said before putting the picture back on the table. Knowing the best way to find what she was searching for, she concentrated on her magic and soon the spot under Flora's pillows glowed green.

"Under the pillows? She needs to learn that that is such a terrible place for keeping precious things." She shook her head as she walked towards it. She pulled out the pillows and used her magic to unlock the secret safe. She started taking things out until she found what she wanted. First came the small box containing the ring, then a portrait of a man in his late thirties and finally what Catherine seeked. The red book. She opened it and looked at a few pages. "My dear god, she has truly made a mess. What was she even thinking?" She asked herself while looking at the book. She then closed it tightly, sighed and stood up with the book in her arms. She used magic once again to make the room look exactly the same as before she came and then she disappeared.

Back at Domino...

After Daphne's heartfelt speech, everyone went into the dance floor. Aisha and Nabu danced together while her mother stayed with Lana and Stella, Brandon, Flora and Helia danced as well. Tecna and Timmy sat down in the main fountain and talked amongst themselves while Musa and Riven performed another one of their duets, this time with the song Need You Now (another great song I love).

Thoren nervously walked towards Daphne was standing with her parents. "Princess Daphne, may I have this dance?" He politely asked with a bow. King Oritel and Queen Marion cast him approving looks as Daphne answered.

"I'd love to." With that said, she took his hand and they started dancing. From across the room, Bloom and Sky watched them.

"I love seeing Daphne so happy." Bloom told Sky as smiled towards the couple.

"Yeah, she looks great, Bloom. I'm not thrilled about her hanging with Thoren, though." Bloom sensed this was the moment that he would finally tell her what happened between him and Thoren.

"Why not?What's wrong with him, Sky?" She asked and Sky had a serious look on his face as he answered.

"You need to know what kind of guy he is." Sky sighed and then he told her everything. "When I was 12, there was an attempted murder of my father." Bloom gasped, horror written on her face. "He was fine, but the guards eventually found out that the poison used to kill him was made with a flower that grows near Thoren's house. He lives in a property around the castle terrains, because his father claims he didn't like living in the palace. Anyways, I overheard my parents talking about it afterwards and they were thinking that Thoren's father might be behind it, since there were many rumours that he wanted to take the throne. I don't know if they were true or not, but that guy always looked suspicious to me." Bloom couldn't believe that Sky had hidden this from her during all these years, but she guessed this must be too hard for him to talk about.

"I still don't understand what this has to do with you not liking Thoren. Do you think that he tried to kill your father?" Sky looked so unhappy she wanted to hug him and tell him everything would be alright. But first she needed to find out exactly who her sister was falling for.

"No, but once they accused his father, he quickly defended him and told us that they had been together all day, hunting. I don't believe that and that's why I don't like Thoren. Because of his lie, my father's life was almost taken and is still on the line. If he had told the truth, his father wouldn't be able to hurt us anymore."

"But how can you know he was lying? He might be telling the truth and someone else tried to kill your father." Bloom tried reasoning with him.

"No, I'm sure he was lying. Look, Bloom, I'm only telling you this because I don't want Daphne to get hurt, okay? But I don't want you to think about it right now, so let's show these royals how it's done." He held his hand for her and she gladly took it. They started dancing to the music and Bloom couldn't stop thinking about what Sky had told her and if Thoren was telling the truth or not.

Soon everyone stopped dancing to watch the two princess of Domino and their dance partners. All around the room people commented how gracious and beautiful they were and how Domino was lucky to have them. The Winx themselves watched their friends with happy and proud smiles. Flora wasn't smiling, though. She could feel that something was wrong. She concentrated on that feeling and it lead her back to Alfea. She wanted to go back to the school and find out what it was, but she knew that that wasn't the best time.

Hiding behind one of the pillars, Diaspro watched as Bloom and Sky danced and she felt rage. This wasn't right, Sky needed to only dance with her. So once again she used magic to weaken Bloom and smiled evilly as the fire fairy almost fell to the ground. Sky caught her just in time.

"Bloom, are you okay?" He worriedly asked her as he held onto her.

"Sky..."She was so weak that she could barely talk, so she tried holding onto him, but she could barely lift her hand. Sky caught her hand and picked her up.

"What a pity. Someone's just not herself these days." Diaspro laughed in the corner as she tried not to catch anyone's attention.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Bloom." Sky told her as he looked around the room. "I'm right here." Daphne walked towards the couple with the Winx and Specialists following her. "Daphne, what's wrong with her?" Sky asked Bloom's older sister. Taking one good look at her, Daphne guessed why her sister was feeling weak.

"It's the dragon flame. I think that she doesn't have enough of it to sustain herself." Daphne worriedly said and the Winx gasped.

"Oh, no!" Flora screamed as she was filled with guilt.

"We had no idea." Aisha said. Daphne gave them a reassuring look.

"Winx, it's not your fault, Bloom wanted to help. Now,Sky,why don't you take her to her room?" The blonde prince nodded his head and then he started walking towards the door. Before he could reach it, though, a monster appeared and blocked his way. People started screaming and panicking as more of them came along.

"Somehow, I don't think that they were on the guest list." Stella joked and Aisha glared at her. The Winx were too familiar with the sun fairy's habit of joking when they were in hard situations, so they let her.

"Mom, take Lana and dad somewhere safe." Aisha urged her mother and Queen Niobe complied as she ran with King Radius, Stella's father, helping King Teredor. The three of them were followed by many of the kings and queens and also guests, except for Bloom's parents.

"What are they?" Flora said as she stared worriedly at the monsters. Daphne was quick to respond.

"Fire eaters. They're part of an ancient Domino legend." Then her attention went back to Sky and Bloom as three monsters were cornering them. "Sky, you can't let them near Bloom." She screamed and the blonde prince quickly avoided the monster's attack and ran with Bloom safely in his arms. The Winx and Daphne quickly transformed while the specialists drew their weapons as they got ready to attack the fire eaters.

As Sky reached the door, a monster appeared in front of him and he was paralyzed, knowing that he couldn't use his weapons because he was carrying Bloom. He thought for a second that it would be the end, until he heard a familiar voice. "I've got you, Sky. Keep going." It was Thoren and he used his hammer to send the monster away and so Sky was free to go. He muttered a quick thanks to his cousin as they kept running towards Bloom's room. They were stopped all of sudden by the person Sky least wanted to see.

"Stop! Where are you going?" It was Diaspro. Sky wondered why the hell she was there, but he had no time to deal with her.

"Let us pass, Diaspro." He angrily said and the blonde girl faked a worried expression.

"The monsters took over the northern area of the palace. The only safe place is the vortex of flames." She tried reasoning with him. Sky didn't buy it.

"Do you buy that, Sky?" Thoren questioned.

"No. You would never help Bloom. Now, please, get out of our way." Diaspro glared at him, but she didn't move. He was about to ask her again when a monster appeared behind him and knocked him and Bloom to the ground. Sky hit his head hard and he fell to the ground unconscious.

"Don't worry, Thoren. I can handle this guy." Diaspro said as she transformed and used her magic to try to block the monster. It didn't work and she groaned. "This was just too hard. My powers are no use against these monsters, only Bloom is strong enough to defeat them. So come on, we need to take her to the vortex of flames so that she can restore her powers." Thoren was suspicious, since Sky had told him not to trust her, but her plan seemed to be logical, so he picked up Bloom and followed Diaspro to the vortex of flames.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? Did you like the cute group scenes? What about the Bloom and Daphne ones? And did you enjoy the new backstory I gave to Sky and Thoren?
> 
> What are your thoughts on Catherine? Do you have any more theories on who she is? And why did she steal Flora's book?


	8. Victory: Strenght of love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second part of 6X06: More flashbacks and surprises,BloomXSky, DaphneXThoren important moments, the Winx finally defeat the fire eaters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people. Sorry about the delay. As an attempt to making up for it, I decided to post 2 chapters this time. Enjoy.

Back in the ballroom...

The Winx, Daphne and the specialists were fighting against the fire eaters, but it wasn't going well. It seemed like the monsters were immune to magic and the more the fairies attack, the angrier they got.

"I command you to step back!" King Oritel advised the monsters as he swung his sword. Queen Marion stood by his side with her own sword in hand. The monster didn't stop advancing and they were forced to step back themselves. "Where are the girls?" He asked his wife.

"If they're together, they will be fine." She reassured him and they went back to worrying about the monsters.

Across the room, Stella, Aisha, Daphne and Nabu were surrounded by three monsters."Some guests never get the hint that it's time to leave." Stella joked once again.

"Their ability to push back all magic is legendary." Daphne said.

"Right, just get to the part where you tell us how to beat them." Stella asked annoyed and Aisha rolled her eyes.

"Legend says that only the power of the vortex of flames can defeat them." Daphne responded and the girls started wondering what was the vortex of flames. In that moment, Brandon, who had been fighting against a fire eater, was knocked down by it and the others were too busy fighting against one of them to help him. The specialist fell to the ground and his sword flew across the room. It landed near Flora, who had been fighting a monster with Helia's help and as she watched the monster about to kill Brandon, she knew there was only one thing she could do.

"Flora? What are you doing?" Helia screamed as she picked the sword and flew towards the monster about to kill Brandon. His scream got the attention of the others and they stared at Flora like she was crazy. The nature fairy got to Brandon just as the monster was about to send its power towards him. She managed to swing the sword and block it out.

"What the hell just happened?" Musa asked with wide eyes.

"Did Flora just use a sword?" Stella asked next. Everyone stared at the nature fairy, but since the fight wasn't over, she barely noticed it. The monster sent more fire her way and she once again deflected it. Then, with a swift movement she jumped and kicked it, sending it far away.

"Now that's done." She muttered to herself. Then she noticed that all eyes were on her. "What?" She didn't understand why her friends looked so surprised.

"You just used a sword. Since when do you know how to use one?" Musa asked her and Flora realized what she had just done. Never had she used a weapon in front of them before. Now it was time to lie some more, great!

"I don't like using weapons. Remember, I'm a lover, not a fighter." She told them.

"But you sure know how to use them. Where did you learn?" Stella asked and Flora knew this was coming.

"My father taught me." As she heard those words, Aisha realized that they were not true. She didn't know why, but she had a feeling that Flora was lying. And she was right.

Many years ago...

The boy with blonde hair was playing with a guard. He held a small sword as he swung it repeatedly and tried to stab the guard. They were in a beautiful field filled with white roses (anyone remember) and a young girl with tanned skin, green eyes and brown hair sat in a great oak tree as she watched them. The guard pointed at her and the boy noticed that she was there.

"Hey, Will." Flora said and he smiled before coming her way. With a bit of difficulty he managed to climb the tree.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her as he climbed. "I thought you'd be at the library now." Flora laughed as he tripped and almost fell and she helped him get to the branch she was currently on.

"It was rather lonely there, so I thought I'd visit you." She gave him a warm smile and then she handed him an apple he hadn't noticed she had been holding. "Here, you should eat something, you must be exhausted after all that fighting." He took the apple and took a big bite.

"Thanks. I was very hungry, actually." She smiled at him and then her attention went to something behind him. He looked in the same direction and saw a small black cat coming their way. "Hey there, buddy." He told the cat and it lifted it's head. Huge blue eyes stared at them.

"He's so cute!" Flora said and Will nodded his head.

"That he is. Come here, little fellow." The cat jumped and landed right on Will's lap. The blonde boy started caressing it and the car purred.

"I'll never understand why you love cats so much." Flora commented and he looked at her.

"You were the one who said he was cute." He argued and Flora laughed.

"Yes, but I'm not the one who takes them to my room to live with me." Will blushed and she laughed even harder.

"You don't have to keep mentioning it." He complained and crossed his arms. The cat glared at him as he stopped caressing it.

"Okay, okay..." Flora said while still laughing after he pouted. "You know, I think I'm gonna start calling you petit chat. It's fitting." She told him and Will had a thoughtful look on his face.

"That's not so bad, miss bouquineuse. (correct me if I'm mistaken, LostMirage)." Both laughed at their new nicknames.

"You know, I've read many books about wars and fighting." Flora commented after they managed to control themselves.

"So?" Will said after he gave the last bite to his apple.

"Maybe you could teach me how to fight." Will started laughing so hard that the small cat in his lap almost fell. It growled at him angrily before jumping from his lap and landing on Flora's. She gladly started caressing it.

"Stop laughing!" Flora complained before she hit him on his shoulder and he finally stopped.

"I'm sorry, it's just so ridiculous. Girls don't need to know how to fight." She glared at him.

"Well, but I want to. So, are you afraid of taking the challenge of teaching me?" She asked him with a smirk, knowing that he wouldn't be able to turn down a challenge.

"Fine. But we can't tell him or else he'll kill me." He said seriously and Flora nodded.

"Okay. I promise." The two of them stayed there on the three talking and laughing for hours, until the sun started setting and they knew they'd better come back before a search party was sent after them.

"That's cool." Musa said after Flora told them how her father had taught her how to fight. "We were just surprised because you had never mentioned it before." The others nodded and Flora pulled on a guilty face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think it was that important." She shrugged her shoulders.

"I think it's sexy." Helia said as he pulled Flora closer. "My fiancée's a badass." Flora laughed at his words.

"I'd hardly call it that, but okay."

"Well, you're good and all, from what I've seen, but I doubt that you could ever beat me." Riven said and Musa elbowed him. Flora smirked at the maroon haired specialist.

"Are you so sure, Riven? Would you like to try it one day?" She asked him, knowing he too would be unable to turn down a challenge.

"Are you serious?" Riven asked with wide eyes.

"I have got to see this. You two should definitely do it one day." Musa excitedly said.

"Okay, then. When the fight against the Trix is over, we'll give it a shot." Flora said and they were even more surprised. With what they would find out later, Flora knowing how to use a sword would be the least surprising thing of all.

"Daphne, Bloom's in danger!" A worried Sky appeared out of nowhere, scaring everybody.

"What happened, Sky?" Daphne asked him. Anger and sadness mixed as he responded.

"I think that Thoren and Diaspro have taken her to the vortex of flames." Daphne gasped after hearing this.

"Diaspro is here?" She asked Sky. She knew the story behind the blonde girl for she had been told by Bloom, but she couldn't believe that Thoren might be working with her.

"Yes. I think she wants to kill Bloom." Daphne had a thoughtful look on her face.

"Historically, the vortex was a place to test the dragon flame."

"That doesn't sound so bad." Stella commented.

"But after centuries, it's power has grown so strong that no one can control it. Even more now that she's so weak, Bloom could die if she gets there." Sky had a determined look on his face.

"Then let's go!" He screamed and him and Daphne quickly got to the vortex.

At the vortex...

Thoren and Diaspro stood before the vortex of flames. The more he looked at it the more he was sure that this wasn't the ideal place for Bloom to be. But the screams coming from frightened guests reminded him that Daphne could be in danger and Bloom was the only one who could stop the monsters.

"Here we are. Isn't it breathtaking?" Diaspro said and Thoren couldn't help but agree. "Now place Bloom right there." She pointed at the cliff and Thoren was sure she was crazy.

"Down there? Are you crazy?" He questioned and Sky and Daphne suddenly barged into the vortex before she could answer.

"Don't listen to Diaspro, Thoren!" Daphne screamed and Thoren looked at her. Seeing how worried she was confirmed that this Diaspro girl could not be trusted. So he took a step back and handed Bloom to Sky.

"You are one wicked girl." He said once Bloom was safely in her boyfriend's arms and Thoren pointed his hammer at her, ready to attack. Diaspro sent a spell his way and he would've been hit if Daphne hadn't used her magic to form a shield after she flew towards him. "Thank you." Thoren told her afterwards and she gave him a bright smile.

"No problem. It's kind of my job, you know, rescuing people." They smiled at each other as they recalled their first encounter. Both were too distracted to notice that Sky had been knocked out by Diaspro. Thoren pulled back a stray of hair that was on her face and they leaned in.

"What are you doing to her?" Sky's scream brought them back to reality. They blushed before looking at the prince and they realized Diaspro had Bloom under a spell. "Diaspro, don't you dare!" Sky screamed with rage and Diaspro just smirked.

"Give it up, Sky. You're too good for her anyways." The blonde smirked and Sky looked at her a bit surprised that after so long she was still chasing him.

"I love Bloom and I'm never going to leave her. You need to get over it." If looks could kill, he would be long gone.

"Well, I hope you can deal with this then." And then Bloom was thrown into the vortex. Sky jumped and tried to reach for her and ended up almost falling himself. But Thoren was quick to grab his hand and help him come up.

"There's nothing you can do now." Diaspro said with an evil laugh.

"Nooo!"Daphne screamed and she sent a powerful attack Diaspro's way. The blonde girl barely managed to uphold it and then she disappeared. Daphne joined the two man and she and Thoren hugged each other tightly.

"I'm so sorry, Sky." Thoren said truthfully, but Sky only glared at him.

"Are you really? Just like when my father was almost killed?" The blonde prince said angrily. He knew that fighting with Thoren was pointless, but he was in too much pain from losing Bloom to care.

"Sky, you know that I was telling the truth that day." Thoren said rather surprised, but also glad to finally understand the reason why Sky had been so cold towards him for the past few years.

"No, I don't. You lied just to save your father, who is a murderer." Sky retorted, still not thinking straight. Now Thoren was offended.

"Sky, I know that you're grieving right now, but I wish that you would respect me. I swear that I didn't cover up for my father because he's innocent. Do you really believe I would've let him go if he wasn't?" Those words made Sky think about it and he finally realized that he knew his cousin well enough to know that he wouldn't cover up for a murderer.

"I'm so sorry, Thoren. I guess I let grief get in the way of rational thinking." Thoren gave him a small smile and they shook hands.

"Aww, you two are so cute." A sweet voice said and they turned to stare at Bloom as she came out of the vortex, fully transformed into her Bloomix Form.

"Bloom?" Sky asked as he looked at her like she was a ghost.

"Yep. Did you miss me?" She asked him with a smile. He smiled back and then she flew into his arms. For a few minutes they stood there, happily in each other's arms before they pulled apart when there was growling. Many fire eaters showed up on the vortex, but Bloom was ready for them. She used her new powers to eliminate them.

"Great shot, Bloom. Now let's go! The Winx need our help." Daphne urged Bloom. The two sisters shared a quick hug before the four of them ran to the ballroom to meet the others.

Back to the ballroom...

The fight against the fire eaters was uneffective and never ending. "I don't know how much more of this I can take." An exhausted Stella complained as she and Aisha used their shields to block the monsters.

"I know. But we have to keep going." Aisha said and she panted.

"That's right, Aisha. But now you have one more to help you." Bloom said as she emerged and everyone stared happily at her.

"Bloom, you're back!" Stella excitedly said.

"And you've got your Bloomix powers." Flora added happily.

"That's our girl!" Musa said. Bloom returned their smiles and then she used all of her restored energy to eliminate every fire eater there was. When they were gone, the Winx group hugged. When they heard clapping from behind them, they looked back to see most of the guests had returned to the ballroom and were applauding them on their victory.

Later that night...

The party was back on as everyone celebrated the defeat of the fire eaters. Stella and Brandon danced in the moonlight as well as Musa and Riven. Aisha and Nabu were sitting down in the garden as they spent some time with Lana, who wasn't going to sleep any time soon. Bloom and Sky were now standing near Thoren as the two boys made peace with each other.

"Thoren, I'm sorry for misjudging you." Sky said and Thoren smiled at him.

"It's okay. I probably would have done the same if my father had almost died." Thoren replied and then he looked at the fire fairy who was proudly staring at them.

"Oh, how I wish there was a handsome prince I could dance with." Bloom dramatically said and the three of them laughed.

"Wouldn't that be nice?"Sky jokingly replied. Thoren smiled at them both and thought of asking where Daphne was, but Bloom beat him to it.

"I think that there's a certain princess in the balcony who wishes she had herself a handsome man to dance with." She winked at him and he muttered a thanks before going to the balcony. Daphne had her back to him, so he called her name and she smiled.

"Hey." She said simply and smiled. He approached her and couldn't stop thinking about how beautiful she looked in the moonlight.

"Hey, beautiful." She blushed at the compliment and he approached her. As they got near each other, there were fireworks in the sky.

"Wow! That's so pretty." Daphne commented as she watched the fireworks. Her eyes glowed in the moonlight and Thoren couldn't not look at her.

"Not as beautiful as you." He said without even thinking.

"Thoren, you're so sweet." She smiled brightly at him and he held her hand.

"I guess you have that effect on me. I'm not usually like Sky or Helia." Thoren said and both laughed at the mention of the two specialists.

"No, you are the perfect gentlemen." Daphne said and she sighed. "I sometimes wonder why you like me so much." She lowered her head as she felt insecure. She hadn't meant to say it out loud, but now the damage was done.

"I like you because you are beautiful and brave and kind. The way you care for your family, specially Bloom, is not something that can be seen everywhere. You are truly a good person, Daphne." Her heart warmed at his words and in that moment all she could think about was she wanted to kiss him. As if he knew exactly what she was thinking, Thoren took a step forward so that their faces were very close. Both leaned in and shared a kiss that they would remember and cherish forever.

With Flora and Helia...

The young couple sat by the main fountain with his arms wrapping around her as they watched the fireworks.

"That's so beautiful." Flora said dreamily and he smiled at her.

"Indeed. But there's nothing that could compare to the beauty of a blooming flower like yourself." He told her and she gave him a bright smile.

"Is that a new poem?" She asked him curiously and he shook his head.

"No, it's not even a poem. But maybe it could become one." He said and she nodded her head.

"Definitely. I would love to see a new poem of yours, my handsome artist." He laughed at the nickname and kissed her forehead.

"Well, I don't know about a new poem, but I do have some new portraits I've made recently." She looked at him curiously.

"Really? Are these the ones you kept hidden in my house and showed everyone but me?" He nodded his head. "I wanna see it. Right now." She demanded and he laughed.

"Okay. Let me just grab them, they're in my suitcase." He said as he stood up.

"Okay. Don't be too long." She said and they shared a quick kiss before he went to the Bloom's room to find the portraits. He passed by Daphne and Thoren as the two were too lost in their kiss to notice him and smiled at them. Flora was left alone in the fountain and she sighed. It had been ten days and she still hadn't found the picture and now there was something wrong at Alfea? "What the hell is going on?" She asked herself. Then she heard voices and she stood up and got ready to attack if necessary. Her face relaxed once she noticed it was only Tecna and Timmy.

"Hey, Flora." Tecna greeted and she smiled at the couple.

"Are you two going on your meeting?" The fairy of nature asked. Timmy nodded his head a bit shyly. "good luck!" Flora told them and Tecna thanked her before the couple walked away. Helia came back a few minutes later with a few paintings in hands. She eagerly took one of them and gasped when she saw it. They had been dating for 3 years, he had made plenty of portraits of her, but this time he had outdone himself. The first painting she held was of her in a beautiful wedding dress while he also drew himself by her side.

"It's breathtaking, Helia. Super well done." She told him and he smiled.

"I'm glad you liked it." He told her and they shared another kiss before she looked through the other paintings. Some were of her and one of them was Stella and Brandon's. Helia told her that the couple had asked him to make a portrait of them a few weeks before. The last portrait was of Aisha and Nabu with their little girl.

"This one's my favorite." Flora pointed at it and he nodded his head.

"I love that one too. They look so happy." Both stared at the picture and when Flora looked back at him and saw the look on his face as he stared at the small family, she knew that this was what she wanted. To be happy, at last.

"They do. We'll be just as happy as them, I'm sure." He smiled at her.

"I know we will because I'll surely spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy." He told her gently and her eyes welled up with tears.

"I know you will and Helia..." She paused for a second to look back at the picture. Her best friend's smile told her that this was right. "I think that I do want to have children with you."She told him and he gave her a surprised look.

"Truly? What changed your mind?" He asked her, wanting to make sure she wasn't doing this just for him.

"Seeing how happy Aisha and Nabu seem and how happy you are when you're with Lana showed me that this is what I want. Our family." His smile grew even bigger and they shared a passionate kiss, glad to be so happy. Flora wondered if she could ever be happier than she was right now

Back at Cloud Tower...

In Selina's room, she and Catherine watched the couple's exchange with frowns. This day hadn't gone as planned and Catherine was getting impatient.

"I cannot believe that this didn't work." She angrily screamed and Selina was worried that she would awake the Trix.

"Can you not scream? The last thing I want is for the Trix to come here." She complained and Catherine stopped pacing.

"This is your fault, Selina. You don't know how to use the Legendariun." She accused and Selina got scared with the rage in her eyes.

"No, I just... I failed. I'm sorry." She lowered her head.

"No, child. It's okay. This job is much too important to be trusted to you. So I'll take care of it myself." Catherine smirked as a plan began forming in her head. The answer was so simple that she didn't know how she could've missed it.

"So you're going to kill the Winx yourself?" Selina looked at her in disbelief. Sure, she had seen Catherine in action and she was powerful, but not enough to stand up to the Winx alone.

"Indeed. But not here, of course." Selina was confused now. If not there, where? "Their magic is too powerful. So all I have to do is send them to a world without magic." She said and Selina started thinking that she was crazy.

"A world without magic? But that doesn't exist. Even on Earth there's magic now." The young girl argued and Catherine simply gave her a smile.

"My dear, there is so much more to this world than you could even imagine. I'll get rid of the Winx soon, I can promise you that. Once they're gone, the Trix will be so grateful to you that you'll easily have a future with them. So be ready to join the dark side." Catherine told her and just like that she disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? Did you enjoy the cute Daphne X Thoren scenes?
> 
> What about Will? Did you enjoy the second flashback? And the Riven and Flora bet? I hope she wasn't too much out of character this chapter. Did you like the last scene with Flora and Helia? I felt like they needed to have at least one scene in this episode, even though it wasn't about them.


	9. Deep conversations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath: Aisha finally talks to Flora about Will, Tecna returns from her meeting with extraordinary news, Daphne confides on the Winx about the new change of status in her relationship with Thoren and the fairies are sent on another mission regarding the Legendariun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took a while, but here is the next chapter. Good news is that I already have up till chapter 17 written. I finished Flora's backstory and it's great! I hope you're ready for some history, soon. 
> 
> So, this chapter continues where we left off and we'll have one of the last Will flashback. I decided to divide this chapter in two as well, since it was pretty big. This one's mostly fluff, so enjoy.

A girl with tanned skin and green eyes danced with a boy with same skin color and brown eyes. She wore a beautiful light green dress while he wore a black tuxedo. The two laughed as they were dancing to a beautiful french song. Suddenly, the guy accidentally tripped and fell to the ground, bringing the girl with him.

"Will." She complained as she got off him and tried to sit up.

"Sorry, you know how I am clumsy." The boy said nervously as he scratched the back of his head. She glared at him for a second before her face turned into a warm smile.

"It's okay. But I thought that you were 'an expert in dancing', as you so called it yourself." She raised her eyebrows at him and he laughed nervously.

"Well, I might've exaggerated a bit..." She gave him an incredulous look.

"A bit? From what I've seen, even Leith is a better dancer than you." He gave her a hurt look at the comment and pouted.

"Now I take offence. For your information, I am a great dancer." She rolled her eyes and stood up while he helped her. They started walking towards the red table in the right corner of the ballroom, which was filled with snacks for the two teens. They had taken only a few steps when Will stopped.

"Will?" The girl questioned as she looked at him. Worry filled her mind as she noticed that he was much paler than usual.

"Flora, I feel... I don't know..." He said slowly and lowly and then he collapsed on her. Due to his weight, Flora fell to the ground.

"Oh my god!" She screamed as she turned him around as she lay him in her lap and realized that something wasn't right. She looked around the room until she spotted the band that had played for them. "Please, someone get help!" She pleaded, but no one moved. It was as if no one could hear her and she started getting desperate. "Please, help me." She screamed louder, but there was only silence.

"Flora." Hearing her name, she turned to the half conscious man in her lap. He looked at her with a sad smile.

"Why's nobody listening to me?" She screamed in frustration as she looked back at the band.

"No one can help, Flora. It's too late for me." Will coughed as he said that and she gave him a look.

"No! Don't you dare say that!" She told him firmly, but even she knew that it was too late. His face was losing color by each minute and she could feel his heartbeat slowing down from her hand on his chest.

"But it's okay. You know that I'll be okay, happy." Her eyes glistened with tears as she looked at him sadly, desperately.

"I know, but I can't lose you too." She told him and he smiled sadly at her as she started to cry.

"I'm sorry, bouquineuse. Je t'aime beaucoup. (I love you so much)" He declared and then he was gone.

"Nooooo!" Flora awoke with a scream. She stopped once she realized that she was in Bloom's room, lying on the couch as the winx were spread along the room. She quickly sat up and tried to calm herself down and told herself it was only a nightmare. Same nightmare she had been having for the past six years. It had been a while since she had dreamt of it, though, so she wondered why now. However, she didn't have much time because all of the Winx ended up waking up due to her screaming. Musa was first and she gave Flora an worried look.

"Flo? Are you okay?" She asked and Flora looked at her apologetically.

"I'm sorry, it was just a nightmare." She said just as Aisha and Bloom woke up.

"A nightmare?" Bloom asked and she immediately sat up as she waited for Flora to explain her nightmare.

"It was nothing big. Just my fear of this battle against the Tric not going well." Flora lied flawlessly and the others gave her understanding looks.

"Yeah, I've worried about it too." Bloom commented. "But we can't think like that, we have to win, the fate of the Magic Dimension depends on it." Aisha had a serious look on her face that they assumed meant she was thinking about their mission, but truly she was wondering if what Flora said about her nightmare was true. She was well aware that Flora had lied about a few things, starting with the man in the portrait, but she couldn't assume that everything was a lie.

"God, what the hell is your problem?" An angry and sleepy Stella complained as she sat up. She gave them a killer look, but upon seeing her friend's expressions, it turned to worry."What? What's wrong?" She asked as she looked between Aisha and Flora.

"I had a nightmare, but it's no big deal." Flora said and Stella kept looking at her suspiciously.

"Are you 100% sure?" The sun fairy asked and Flora just nodded her head. Once again, Aisha knew she was lying. Tired of not knowing, she stood up and walked towards Flora.

"Flo, since we're awake, do you mind coming outside with me?" Flora gave her a confused look.

"Sure. Everything okay, Aisha?" She asked worriedly and Aisha gave her a fake smile.

"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you." The others cast them worried looks, but didn't say anything.

With Aisha and Flora...

Soon, Aisha and Flora found themselves in a long corridor and they walked in silence until they reached the door that lead outside. It was past 5 in the morning and the sun was starting to come up. The scenery was beautiful and Flora felt glad to be there.

Both girls sat down in the grass and stared at it for a second before Aisha spoke up. "We've been friends for 4 years now and I trust you with my life." She said and Flora was confused.

"As I trust you, Aisha. But what are you trying to say." The fairy of waves sighed before she used her magic to make the picture appear. Flora's eyes widened and her face paled once she saw it.

"What? How?" She looked at Aisha in disbelief. "I thought Bloom had it." Aisha was surprised at her choice of words.

"You're not even denying knowing what it is?" She questioned and Flora lowered her head.

"What's the point? I'm so tired of lying." That was true.

"Then can you tell me who he is?" Flora looked back at the picture and she smiled sadly as she traced Will's face with her fingers.

"His name is Will. He is, well, he was my best friend." Aisha wasn't too surprised this time for she had expected this answer. There were many things she still didn't understand, though.

"Why didn't you ever tell us about him? Why hide his existence?" Flora sighed, not wanting to do this, especially after her nightmare.

"It's too painful, talking about him. He was very important to me and now he's just gone." Tears fell from her gorgeous green eyes and Aisha couldn't help but feel sympathetic. She understood Flora's pain, after all she was in a similar situation with her father.

"I understand that. You didn't want to talk about it because remembering him hurt, right?" Flora nodded.

"It hurts everyday, but ever since I met you guys, it's gotten better. With Helia, most of all, I can completely forget about the pain, even if for just a few minutes." At the mention of the specialist's name, Aisha went back to questioning mode.

"Does he know?" Flora shook her head vigorously.

"No. And I'd rather keep it that way. We're so happy now that we're engaged and I don't want to ruin that by bringing up Will." Aisha could understand that, but as Flora mentioned the engagement, another thing came to her mind.

"You said Will was very important to you." Aisha repeated Flora's words. "How important?"

"What exactly do you mean?" Flora had a feeling that she knew where this conversation was going.

"I saw you with a ring a few days ago, one that certainly didn't come from Helia." Aisha said and Flora sighed. "Was it Will's? Was he your fiancée?" The nature fairy already had a good answer planned in case this question came up.

"No, the ring belonged to my grandma. She gave it to me before she passed away." This time Aisha believed her explanation and as she thought about all that she had learned today, she realized that this wasn't her secret to tell.

"Okay, then. I promise that I won't say anything to the others." Flora gave her a surprised look.

"Why? Why didn't you tell them before?" She didn't understand why Aisha had kept such a huge discovery to herself.

"This wasn't my secret to tell. Besides, after seeing how much it hurts you to talk about Will, I know that it's better not to tell them right now. After all, this is in the past, isn't it?" She raised her eyebrows and Flora nodded her head.

"Yes, it is. And, as Miss. Faragonda says, we better leave the past where it belongs." Aisha smiled at her and the two best friends hugged tightly. They returned to Bloom's room and stopped at the door once they heard screaming. Sharing a confusing look, Aisha slowly opened it.

Back in Bloom's room...

"This is sooooo perfect!" It was princess Stella who screamed as she jumped excitedly. Musa and Bloom were scattered around the room as Tecna had yet to return from her date with Timmy. Flora and Aisha soon realized that the object of Stella's attention was a blushing Daphne, who sat in her sister's bed.

"Stella, will you please stop screaming? You'll wake up everyone!" Musa warned her as she covered her too sensitive ears.

"What's all this excitement about?" Aisha asked and all eyes were on her and Flora.

"Oh My God, they have no idea!" Stella screamed once again, stopping after Bloom glared at her.

"Daphne and Thoren had their first kiss last night." The redhead stated with a huge smile and Flora and Aisha were surprised and happy.

"Really?" Flora asked Daphne and the blonde nodded her head while still blushing. "That's so great, Daphne! I'm so happy for you." Flora said while smiling before she walked towards Daphne and sat down on the bed next to her. The two hugged as Daphne drank in the warmth and comfort Flora offered.

"Yeah, that's great." Aisha told her after she had pulled apart from Flora's hug.

"Now that everyone knows, tell us what happened. With all the details." Stella said excitedly as she sat in the couch Flora had previously occupied. Daphne gave them a huge smile as she told the tale. By the time it was over, the sun had already risen and the light illuminated the faces of the six excited and happy girls.

"I didn't know that Thoren was so sweet." Musa said pensively.

"Yeah, I guess he has been spending too much time around Helia." Daphne joked and they all laughed. Their laughter was interrupted by the slow opening of the door and Bloom, who was closest to it, immediately stood up and got ready for an attack. After all, it were the early hours and they were all there.

"Wow, easy there, Bloom. It's just me." A tired looking Tecna said once she closed the door behind her. She stared at the others in surprise. "I didn't expect you to be awake at this hour." She commented and the girls noticed that she was trying hard not to smile.

"Hmm, I take it that dinner with Timmy's parents went well." Stella said with a smirk and Tecna blushed a bit.

"Yeah, it was great. His parents are actually really great." Tecna said and she smiled as she sat down on the couch near Stella. It was her turn to be the center of the attention.

"Soooo... How did it go?" Musa asked.

"It went well. The food was great and I was able to connect with his parents in a way that I didn't expect." Tecna said happily and the girls smiled at her.

"That's wonderful, Tecna. I'm glad that everything turned out alright for you." Bloom told her.

"Indeed. But there's something else." Stella smartly said as her eyes over analyzed the technology fairy.

"It's just that... Remember what you said last night?" Tecna asked the sun fairy and she gave her a look.

"I said many things last night, you'll have to be more specific than that." Stella replied and Tecna decided that it was better to show them than try to tell them. So she pulled out the necklace that had been hidden in her shirt and showed them the beautiful diamond ring in it.

"Oh My God!" Stella screamed excitedly and this time no one glared at her. All eyes were on the rock as they stared at it.

"This is just amazing!" Musa added and Aisha and Bloom nodded, unable to say anything due to the shock.

"I'm so happy for you, Tec! Congratulations!" Flora told her with a huge smile that Tecna easily returned.

"I know! I still can't believe it. He totally took me by surprise." Tecna said with a dreamy look on her face as she recalled Timmy's proposal.

"So, how did he do it? I mean, weren't you supposed to just meet his parents?" Bloom asked curiously and the girls quieted down as Tecna started explaining it.

"As it turned out, the whole reason for this meeting was so that Timmy would propose to me."

"How so? His parents didn't even know you before!" Stella asked confusingly.

"Not in person, but Timmy had been corresponding with them for longer than I knew. Last year, remember when we went on that huge date?" There were nods and smiles as the girls remember what they had called 'The Perfect Date'. "Well, it was then that Timmy realized that he wanted to marry me. So he contacted his parents and started telling them everything about me, sending pictures and videos. In Zenith it's all about technology, as you know, so they didn't demand to meet me before."

"Now it makes sense." Stella said.

"So why did they want to meet you now?" Musa questioned.

"Because Timmy told them about the proposal a few weeks ago, so he wanted them to meet me before he proposed. He did it after dinner ended and it was just perfect." The girls stared at her with smiles as she said the last words.

"But how exactly did he propose, what did he say?" Stella asked rather impatiently. Tecna smiled at the blonde before continuing.

"Well, after we asked for our desserts, he disappeared for a while, claiming to be in the bathroom. I was starting to get worried when he took a good while to come back, but his parents told me everything was fine. By the time my petit gâteau came, Timmy came back with a bouquet of orchids, you know these are my favorite flowers. So I was totally lost until I noticed that the ring in the cake. There were also a few tabloids in the restaurant that had a video of us."

"That's soo romantic!" Flora said as she recalled how her own fiancée had proposed to her.

"I didn't know that Timmy was romantic." Musa recalled and Tecna laughed.

"He's just shy, but he is romantic. He wouldn't have been able to pull off something like this on his own, though. The specialists helped him, mainly Helia. He had the idea for the flowers and the video." Flora laughed at the last part.

"Of course he did. He's an expert when it comes to flowers, even better than me." The girls gave her surprised looks.

"Really?" Bloom asked curiously.

"Yep. I might be the fairy of nature, but he's the flower expert. Most of what I know was told by him." Now that was a big surprise.

"That's surprising. But anyways, back to Tecna." Stella said and all eyes went back to the technology fairy.

"Well, after he saw that I noticed the ring, he knelt down and proposed. I have it on video, it's better than if I tell it." She told them before picking up her phone. Using her powers to enlarge the video, she showed it to them.

(scenes in bold are of the video, just making clear.)

The first scene was of Tecna and Timmy's parents sitting on the desk at the restaurant as they chatted. Soon a waiter appeared with a huge chocolate cake with ice cream. The ring was right on the center, where usually a cherry would go. Tecna was seen thanking the waiter for the dessert and then she would look over at Timmy. The ginger haired specialist was dressed in the same tuxedo from Daphne's Coronation as he walked towards the table while holding the flowers. Stella and Musa couldn't help but laugh when he tripped on one of the guest's feet and apologized nervously as he blushed. As he reached Tecna, her eyes were no longer on him and instead on the cake and the tabloids that were spread across the restaurant.

"Timmy? What's going on?" An oblivious and confused Tecna asked.

"Don't worry, Tecna, everything's okay. I just... There's something I need to say." Silence followed that statement, so he gulped before continuing. "5 years ago we met on our first day at Alfea and I was so glad to have someone understand me. You were the first person, the first girl I met that also enjoyed technology and was rather shy and reserved. It didn't take me long to fall for you." The camera zoomed on Tecna's face and she was intently looking at him. "On our second year we had trouble because you thought I was a coward and I treated you like a machine instead on a real person. But we got through them and came out stronger than ever."

"That we did." Tecna said and Timmy's smiled became even larger.

"A few weeks ago, Helia asked me what was the moment that I realized that I was in love. You know how he is, always the romantic, he was been doing a super sappy and cheesy video of the specialists and I was the first one he interviewed. Anyways, when he asked me that, I started thinking and that moment, when I knew that I truly loved you, was after the Omega Incident." Both had tears as they recalled such a hard and desperate moment.

"That was, without a shadow of a doubt, the hardest moment of my life. The single thought of losing you hurt me more than any weapon could and that's when I knew that I loved you. And I do, so much. That's why I want to marry you, Tecna. You are so beautiful, smart and caring and I am 100% sure that you are the perfect match for me. So, will you marry me?" Tecna was too shocked by such sweet words coming from him and it took her a while to respond. A huge smile came to her face as she cried tears of happiness.

"The only logical answer is 'of course.'" She said and Timmy had the biggest smile on his face as knelt down to his level and hugged him tight. Soon he lost his grip and both fell to the ground, laughing. The camera showed the intense look that crossed between them before they kissed, something they would rarely do in public. After that, Timmy gave her the ring and she put it on her finger and showed it to his happy parents, who gave her a thumbs up.

"You are so sneaky, Timmy. I had absolutely no idea." Tecna told him in the next moment and he gave her a smile.

"I guess I can be pretty good at keeping secrets when I need to." The couple laughed and shared another kiss before the video ended.

"This was just perfect. I have nothing else to say." Bloom said and the girls nodded.

"I think that maybe we didn't know Timmy as well as we thought." Musa said.

"I guess there are always things that we don't know about our friends." Aisha said with a glance at Flora, who felt terribly guilty.

"That's normal, though. My earth parents always said that the more you knew someone, the more there was to know." Bloom said and she smiled as she recalled something. "There's also a saying on earth that was created by an ancient philosopher. It goes: 'the knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing'." Tecna gave her a smile.

"Whoever said that was very smart. I might not agree completely, but I know that's true." Stella gave her a devious look.

"So I guess the reason that you didn't come back was that you spent the night with Timmy?" The sun fairy asked with a smirk and Tecna blushed.

"Yes, I was. But really that's none of your business, Stella." Tecna said firmly and Stella just shrugged her shoulders.

"I never would have guessed that Timmy would have proposed to you tonight. I guess you two joined the engaged team." Musa said and the girls didn't miss the bitterness beneath that statement.

"I'm sure Riven will propose to you soon enough, Musa." Flora told her friend with a confident smile.

"I doubt it. He doesn't seem like he ever thinks about it." She complained.

"Oh, but he sure does." Flora told her and they all looked at the happy nature fairy. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but Helia told me last night that Riven asked for Helia's help in making a poem. He did help and from what he told me, it seemed like the poem was about you." Stella had a rather confused look.

"So he wrote a poem. What does that have to do with him thinking of marriage?" She asked and Bloom looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Come on, Stell. We're talking about Riven here. He wouldn't write a poem to save his life. For him to be writing one it must be a very important occasion." The redhead said and everyone laughed, Musa ringing of a phone startled them. Bloom picked it up and answered it.

"Good morning, Bloom. I apologize in advance for waking you and the Winx so early." It was Miss. Faragonda and the girl's could see her image through the hologram.

"Good morning, Miss. Faragonda. It's no problem, we were already awake." The headmistress gave her a smile.

"That's good. I'm afraid that I need you and the Winx to come back to Alfea with me." The Winx were confused since they weren't expected to come back to the school for 3 more days.

"Why? Did something happen?" Stella asked worriedly.

"There are some things that we need to discuss, regarding the Trix." The Winx understood that it was serious business.

"Okay, then. We just need a little time to get ready." Bloom said and the headmistress smiled at them.

"Could you meet me in the palace gates in an hour and a half?" She asked the girls, knowing that some of them would need a good while to get ready.

"Sure. See you soon." Bloom replied and the call ended. "Okay, Winx, let's get ready." The others nodded and Stella immediately ran to the bathroom as everyone laughed. Daphne gave Bloom a hug before going to her own room to get ready. She already knew what this was all about for she had talked to Miss. Faragonda before. They had reached a decision that she hoped was wrong, but the facts were right in front of them. She looked into the mirror once she was ready, dressed in her usual teacher outfit, and sighed. The knowledge that the Trix were in possession of one of the most powerful objects in the Magic Dimension worried her, but she was sure that they would be able to defeat the witches. They had to.

At Cloud Tower...

Selina and Catherine watched as the Winx and Daphne entered the ship to go to Alfea. They already knew the reason behind the headmistress' request and they were worried.

"She knows about the Legendariun." Selina said, giving Catherine a worried look. The blonde woman was impassive, her face looked like stone.

"It was a matter of time before they figured it out." She said simply, still not moving from her spot in the couch. She kept staring at the crystal ball that she had conjured to spy on Miss. Faragonda and the Winx.

"But now that they know about it and Eldora, it won't be long until they find out about me." Selina said.

"Then we must prevent that from happening." Catherine said and she stood up immediately. She looked at Selina for a moment before her hands glowed green. Soon the young girl's body was also glowing green and she felt magic course through her.

"What did you do?" She asked once the glow vanished.

"A spell that will conceal you in case the Winx come here. You can undo it easily with your own magic." Catherine explained boredly and Selina smiled.

"That's good. Thanks." Catherine gave her a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

"It was nothing, Selina. Now, we need to come up with a plan to stop the Winx before the discover everything." She said before sitting back down.

"What are your thoughts?" Selina asked curiously.

"Well, we already established that I'll be sending them to a place where they won't be able to defend themselves. In order to do that I'm gonna need to have them all together, because this spell takes a lot of magic, so I should only use it once." Selina was still wary about this part of the plan, but she trusted the older woman.

"Okay. So we need an occasion to put them all together."

"There was the party last night, why didn't you do it then?" Catherine frowned.

"I hadn't thought of it then, remember? I actually believed that those good for nothing witches would be able to get rid of them."

"So now what?" Selina asked exasperatedly.

"Now we wait. The perfect opportunity will come soon, I can feel it." Catherine stood up once again before saying that. Then she gave Selina a wicked look. "Now I just have to pay a little visit to our friend, Eldora." With that she disappeared once again. Guilt filled Selina as she thought about the woman who had taken care of her for so long, who was her closest friend. She wondered if Catherine would truly go as far as killing her, but she didn't know the woman well enough to guess that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? Did you like the sweet scenes with Tecna and Timmy? Those were totally unplanned. I wasn't even gonna make them get engaged till like the last chapter.
> 
> What about Flora's dream and her talk with Aisha? Do you believe her when she said that the ring belonged to her grandma? Next chapter everything will change. The revelations will be on chapter 11. Be ready!
> 
> ALSO, REMINDER: THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO TELL ME YOUR THEORIES ABOUT CATHERINE, SO GO AHEAD! I know that I didn't give you all the facts, but I'll give you a hint: she has a connection with Flora that goes way back, like over 18 years back.


	10. Evil triumph

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 6X10: a few days after the Winx's mission to find Eldora's diary, they come back to Alfea and meet Bloom's old friend, Selina. What they don't know is that she's there so that Catherine's plan to get rid of the Winx can finally be achieved. Will the Winx be able to stop them? And will they find out the truth about Selina?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we have the last chapter before the revelations. Sorry it's a bit late, I just arrived in Paris, so I'm taking my time getting to see the city. I'll try to write a bit every day. This chapter will focus on episode 6X10, which is one of my favorites of Winx. As usual, I adapted it and added a few scenes or changed some.

At Alfea...

Miss Faragonda stared worriedly at the Winx as they stood in her office. The six fairies were sitting on comfortable chairs around the office as Daphne stood by the headmistress' side. "Winx, we have reasons to believe that the Trix are in possession of a very powerful book." The headmistress told them. "It is called Legendariun." She continued and the Winx shared knowing looks.

"So all those monsters..." Bloom started saying and Daphne interrupted her.

"Were brought to life by the book." She told them in a serious tone and Aisha and Musa gasped.

"Wait what? So that book has the ability to bring monsters to life?" Stella wondered curiously? At the mention of the Legendariun Flora remembered another powerful book that had even greater abilities and she gasped. It couldn't be it, could it? Could the book be the reason she had felt like something was wrong? The nature fairy stared at her friends, her eyes resting on Aisha. The fairy of waves had said nothing about the other book, but what if she knew about it? What if she had taken it?

"Indeed, Stella." The fairy of the shining sun had a terrified look on her face.

"Then what are we waiting for? We have to destroy it." Aisha firmly said. Her words were followed by a loud cry as the child in her arms started moving. "Lana, come on honey, be quiet." The baby cried even louder and everyone's attention went to the little girl as Aisha tried to calm her down.

"I think she's tired, she woke up so early today." Flora said as she approached the fairy of waves and the little girl stopped crying for a bit to look at her. Her blue eyes showed tiredness and she yawned. "My little flower wants to sleep, don't you?" Flora gently asked and the little girl stared at her a for a few minutes before extending her arm. Flora knew what that meant and she picked her up after receiving a nod from Aisha. As Flora arranged Lana on her arms so she could be more comfortable, Miss. Faragonda answered Aisha's previous question.

"I'm afraid that you have already tried to destroy the Legendariun, without knowing it." Bloom immediately recalled the day they had lost their powers.

"That's why the negative energy was so powerful." She commented and Tecna nodded in agreement as she recalled it as well.

"The Legendariun is indestructible." Daphne said sadly and then her expression turned to determination. "But we can lock it." She told them as she showed them a book that she had been holding.

"What's that, Daphne?" Aisha asked.

"It's a book about the Legendariun. It says here that there is a fairy called Eldora, she used to be it's guardian. It also says that she also kept a diary with instructions on how to lock the Legendariun, for she had been seeking the key. Unfortunately, there isn't much information on Eldora, I don't know if she's even alive." She lowered her head in disappointment and Bloom squeezed her shoulder.

"It's okay. This is plenty of information, Daphne. Good Work." She told her sister confidently and Daphne gave her a smile.

"That's why I need you to go on a trip to the Lost Library of Alexandria, in Egypt. That's the last location known of Eldora and the most likely place where her diary is." Miss Faragonda said seriously and Flora would be jumping with joy if it wasn't for the child in her arms.

"A library? That's so great!" The nature fairy exclaimed and Stella and Musa rolled their eyes. They never got why Flora was such a book fan, they had assumed that was Tecna's territory.

"It's settled then. We're going to Egypt." Bloom said firmly and the Winx said their goodbyes to Miss. Faragonda before leaving.

At Cloud Tower...

Selina didn't have to wait too long for Catherine to come back from her visit. As she looked at the blonde woman, she tried to guess whether or not Eldora was still alive, but that was impossible."So, you're back. How did it go?" She asked innocently and Catherine smiled.

"Perfectly. Eldora won't be saying anything about us to anyone." Selina felt goosebumps at the cold tone the older woman used.

"So you've killed her?" She asked curiously and an outraged and surprised look appeared on Catherine's face.

"But of course not! Who do you think I am? I don't go around killing people all the time. No, I simply erased her memories." Selina sighed in relief. "Now, my dear, it's about time we plan on how to get rid of our most important problem: the Winx." She told the young girl and both sat down on the bed and started planning the Winx's end until Selina was called by the Trix.

A few days later...

The specialists were spending their time on Aisha's gym, at Alfea, as they trained for their hard mission. With the Winx gone, they figured they might as well do something useful with their free time. "Come on guys, keep going!" Sky encouraged Helia and Timmy, who were the last ones to reach the finish line.

"Less than one minute. Yeah, I feel good!" Brandon mused as he looked at his watch. Helia and Timmy soon jumped and overpassed the line.

"I feel great! Best workout ever." Helia excitedly said as he gave Sky a thumbs up.

"Now what?" Thoren asked and Timmy answered, having just looked into his phone.

"We should reward ourselves. Tecna just sent me a message, they are back." The other specialists were glad to hear it and so they left the room and headed for the courtyard. Riven, however, remained in the room.

"Hey, Riven. Don't you wanna go see Musa?" Timmy asked him and Riven shook his head.

"Not now, I'd rather keep practicing." Timmy sighed, not liking the way that the maroon haired specialist had been acting lately.

"Okay, suit yourself." He told Riven before leaving the room. As soon as he was gone, Riven pulled out a notebook and a pen from his bag and went towards a chair. He sat down and started thinking of a way to continue the poem that he had been working on. It was supposed to be a surprise for Musa, a way to cheer her up since he could see that she was getting upset with being the only unengaged in the group, except for Bloom. He knew that she wanted him to propose, but he wasn't ready. Ten days ago he had gone to his mother's funeral, there was too much that he needed to resolve before he decided to get married.

At the courtyard...

The ship landed just as the specialists reached the courtyard. The Winx got out with smiles as they looked at their boyfriends/fiancées. "Hey, guys." Bloom was the first to say as she ran towards Sky and they hugged tightly. Stella also ran towards Brandon, knocking him to the ground.

"Nabu!" Aisha happily walked towards her husband and they shared a sweet kiss before she greeted her daughter. "Hey, my little mermaid." She kissed the top of the little girl's head. "Hmm. She smells so good. Did you give her a bath?" She asked Nabu with raised eyebrows. Giving Lana a bath was so hard that she didn't know Nabu could handle it on his own.

"No, I just showered her with perfume." Nabu jokingly said as he pulled he closer. Aisha glared at him before her look turned to worry as she remembered.

"So, did you talk to my parents?" Naby knew this was coming and he tried not to make it sound as bad as it actually was.

"I did, yesterday. I'm afraid the situation's not good, Aisha." The fairy of waves sighed.

"How bad is it?" She asked with tears in her eyes. He sighed as well.

"Your mother said that he couldn't even get out of bed last night." Aisha let the tears silently fall as she buried her head on his shoulder while he held her. Flora, who had been hugging Helia, walked over to the couple and signaled for Nabu to hand her the baby so that he could hug her entirely.

"Here, baby girl, come with Auntie Flora." She soothed the crying little girl as she was suddenly separated from her father. Helia stood by her side as he stared at the beautiful scene.

"Maybe I should try." He said after a few seconds and Flora nodded before handing him the bay. He was able to calm her down easily and even make her laugh when he made funny faces and the three of them laughed delightfully.

"Hey, Tecna." Timmy greeted his fiancée as he reached her and Musa. The fairy of Music had a disappointed look on her face as she didn't spot her boyfriend.

"Hey, Timmy." Tecna greeted him with a bright smile and the couple kissed firmly, something they would never do in public. Everyone was too busy to notice, though. Only Stella and Brandon did.

"Oh, no. Not them too!" The blonde complained and Brandon gave her a confused look.

"So, where's Riven?" Musa asked once Tecna and Timmy pulled apart and he sighed.

"He's training, but he told me to say hi." He said simply and Musa sighed as well. Her angry response would be left for later for a bright green light appeared from behind them and everyone stared at it, cautiously. When it diminished, there was a young girl with dirty blonde hair and fair skin. She smiled shyly at the group of people and the suspense of her identity was gone as Bloom smiled brightly.

"Selina! What are you doing here?" She asked the girl as a surprised look came to her face. The two old friends hugged.

"Thought I'd drop in, after I found out that you were here." Selina responded. Part of her felt guilty about the plan she was following, a plan that would result in Bloom getting hurt, but she knew that this was necessary.

"Selina was my best friend, growing up in Gardenia." Bloom said upon seeing her friends confused faces. Sky cast the young girl a suspicious glance.

"That's nice." Stella said while Tecna frowned as she looked at Bloom.

"I don't think you've ever mentioned her before." The technology fairy commented and Bloom shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know why, though. We were good friends for a couple of years." She told them and then she turned to Selina. "Now that you're here, tell me, what happened in Egypt?" The others were confused for they had no idea what she was talking about.

"I was searching for Eldora too. But then, the ceiling collapsed and I couldn't find you. I got scared, so I ran." Selina lied flawlessly and they all believed her, except for Flora and Sky. Flora because she knew a good liar when she saw one, having lied herself so many times and Sky because he felt something was off with Selina. Unfortunately, both kept quiet.

"Wait! Why were you searching for Eldora?" Tecna said as she looked at the young girl suspiciously.

"I knew her well, she was my fairy godmother." This piece of information surprised Bloom greatly.

"She was?" Selina nodded her head and the movement made the necklace that had been hidden under her shirt appear for a bit. It was black with a cross on the middle. It was enough for Flora to be very concerned, because she recognized it. But it couldn't be, it just couldn't.

"Yes. And the Trix found out about that, so they tried to kidnap me." Selina continued lying and they kept believing her.

"Seriously, what is their problem?" Stella said while tolling her eyes.

"Don't worry, Selina. You're safe with us." Bloom told her with a smile and they hugged once more. Selina wondered how could this have been so easy, these people were way too trusting for their own good.

"Well, since you know Eldora so well, you might be able to help us. We were just on our way to the Greenhouse to figure out what this is." Flora said once the two parted and she showed Selina the flower they had achieved on Earth, which was said to be Eldora's favorite one.

"Do you recognize it?" Bloom asked hopefully and Selina shook her head.

"No, I've never seen it before." Stella and Musa sighed in frustration.

"Well, there goes that." Musa said and Bloom gave her friends a confident yet firm look.

"Come on, Winx. We gotta go to the Greenhouse and figure this out."

"Wait! Before we go, we have to plan when we're going to celebrate." Stella excitedly said and everyone stared at her, confused.

"Celebrate what?" Flora asked and the blonde shook her head.

"You guys are so forgetful!" Stella complained and she cast them a look. "Tecna and Timmy's engagement, of course! We need to have a party!" She screamed and Aisha nodded her head in agreement.

"You know, Stell,we weren't thinking of having a party. Maybe just a dinner?" Tecna quietly asked and prepared herself for the blonde's outburst.

"Are you kidding me?" Stella exploded. "You got engaged. That's something most of us never thought would happen." She ignored Tecna's look and continued. "No, we have to celebrate!" Seeing how worked up she was, they knew it was of no use trying to change her mind, so they let her plan the party for that night and the Winx left for the Greenhouse.

At the Greenhouse...

The Winx got there easily, but it took them a while to enter it for Stella insisted on changing their outfits, as usual. Upon entering the grand place, they split up and looked for a copy of the flower in Flora's hand, Eldora's favorite flower.

"Guys, listen to this!" At Musa's call they were able to see a beautiful purple plant that made music. The Winx laughed while Selina was too concentrated on the plan she had agreed to.

"Stella, no! The flowers must be left in their natural habitat, we can't pick them." Flora scolded the sun fairy, who was trying to pick up a rose. Stella immediately stopped what she was doing and stepped aside as Flora came to smell the flowers that she had been seeing.

"This is the most amazing Greenhouse I've ever seen! If only I could be it's caretaker some day!" Flora excitedly said as she looked around the room, her green eyes shining.

"No one would be better at that than you, Flora." Bloom confidently told her best friend, who smiled. The others were too busy looking at them to notice it when Selina used her powers to put a spell on a few red roses nearby. Unfortunately for Flora, she chose those as the next flowers to check. Upon smelling them, she felt light and sleepy.

"What?" She muttered to herself as she felt the world start to spin and soon she lost her hold on one of the pots and fell to the ground. Aisha, who was showing baby Lana some orchids, was the first to notice that the nature fairy had fallen.

"Flora!" She screamed as she ran to her best friend's side. This caught the other's attention and they all came to meet Flora and Aisha. Lana started crying hard, so Aisha had to try to soothe her while Bloom checked Flora. The fairy of nature was almost unconscious as she felt like she had been paralyzed.

"Bloom, help." She pleaded in a weak voice. Bloom looked worriedly at the rest of them.

"Those roses must have poisoned her." Tecna smartly said and her face was pale.

"We have to do something." Aisha said firmly, still attempting to calm Lana down.

"But what? We're not experts on flowers or poisons!" Musa exclaimed exasperatedly. Selina smiled at them as she kept following the plan.

"Eldora taught me everything about plants and their poisons. I know exactly what the antidote is for red roses, but I need a lab or something similar so I can make it." The winx were impressed and relieved that there was a way to save Flora.

"Okay, then. So Selina and I will go to the potions room while you stay here with Flora and keep looking for Eldora's flower." Bloom told them and the others nodded.

"In the meantime, I'll get Palladium. He should be able to help us." Aisha told the remaining Winx as Bloom and Selina were gone. Hearing this, Selina used her powers once again to transform some plants into monsters. She needed to keep the Winx in the Greenhouse.

"Wow! What the hell?" Musa screamed, the first to notice the monsters. The four of them stared at the plants in disbelief.

"Are you kidding me?" Stella frustratedly screamed as she crossed her arms.

"This is the last thing we needed." Tecna face palmed.

"I'll call the guys and get Professor Palladium." Aisha said as she stood in front of Flora, protecting her. She knew that she couldn't fight, though, due to the child in her arms.

With Bloom and Selina...

The two reached the potion lab within minutes. "Selina, here's the potion room. Come on, we've got to be quick. The antidote must be here somewhere." The fairy of the dragon flame started searching the room desperately. Suddenly, a monster appeared in front of them, one of the plants Selina had conjured.

"Bloom!" She faked fear as she hid behind Bloom. The redhead gave her a reassuring look before transforming and creating a barrier around them.

"Okay, now I'll hold it off while you see what potions you can dig up." Selina looked around the room at a nearby table and she spotted a small tub with a skull. Catherine had said nothing about actually poisoning the Winx, but since she wanted them dead anyways, Selina guessed she'd take care of it herself.

"Selina, talk to me!" Bloom pleaded as she tried to hold off the monster. Selina quickly transferred the poison to another tub and showed it to her.

"I found a potion that will save Flora." Selina said and she threw the new tub at Bloom, who quickly caught it.

"You did it, Selina." The fairy of the dragon flame happily said as she stared at the tub. She missed the evil smirk coming to the other girl's face and her low words of victory.

"Yes, indeed." She muttered to herself as she hoped that the rest of the plan would go just as smoothly.

With Flora...

The fairy of nature had fallen unconscious due to the effects of the poison. She could feel herself slipping away and she thought to stay there, to stay alive. She needed to, her life was finally falling into place and she had found the happiness she had lost years ago. So she thought. She thought of Will, how he had always been there for her, how he was able to make her laugh at anytime or calm her down. He was everything to her and he had just been taken away. It was unfair, truly. She recalled one of her favorite moments with him, when he had taught her how to fight.

"Come on, Flora, you're doing good." The young boy with blonde hair said as he swung his sword repeatedly, managing to block most of her attacks.

"This is so hard." The young girl complained. She swung her sword once again and ended up losing balance. "Woah!" She was falling, but Will was quick and he helped her stand.

"There you go." He smiled at her as she regained her posture. She gave him a thankful smile.

"Thanks, Will. You're truly a gentleman." She mused and he laughed.

"Well, I was taught well, unlike you, milady. Who would have ever thought that such a fine lady like yourself would want to learn the art of sword fighting." She frowned at his comment and crossed her arms on her chest.

"The other ladies are stupid, knowing how to fight is very important. If I'm ever kidnapped, I'll be able to kick some ass!" The young girl said determinately and both laughed.

"You're too paranoid, of course you won't be kidnapped." Will rolled his eyes at her imagination and she gave him a serious look.

"I might be. But even if I'm never kidnapped, it's good to know how to defend myself." He nodded in agreement and they went back to fighting. Soon, she was able to get to him when he got distracted by a woman with fair skin and red hair who walked into the room. Flora took advantage of his guard being down and she stabbed him. Since the sword wasn't a simple toy, as she had been thinking, it penetrated his skin and both gasped when blood started coming from the wound.

"Oh My God! Will, I'm so sorry." Flora screamed exasperatedly as she removed the sword, causing him to cry out in pain. The woman who had entered the room quickly ran to them as her eyes showed horror.

"William! Oh, god! This is terrible, I must call Henry." She said once she reached Will and Flora. The young boy was bleeding a lot while the young girl constantly apologized and cried. "Calm down, sweetie. It wasn't your fault. Now, come. Let's get the king." She told them in a gentle yet firm tone. A guard that had been guarding the door entered upon hearing her scream and he picked up Will and lead him to the infirmary while the woman carried Flora to the king's office. The young girl was terrified for she knew that she would be punished for almost killing Will.

Hours later, when Will was fine after being bandaged up and Flora was left with only a warning, the two friends were left alone in the room.

"I really am sorry for hurting you, I didn't mean..." She started, but he interrupted her.

"Hey, it's okay, accidents happen." They laughed together as they recalled another accident from years before.

"Well, now you can tell everyone that you've been stabbed." She said and he smiled.

"Yes. I am a war hero." She rolled her eyes as he inflated his chest and pretended to be a soldier.

"You're so silly, Will. But I love you still, mon petit chat." He returned her smile as he hugged her tightly.

"As I love you, miss bouquineuse." It was then that they promised to always count on each other and trust each other. They were best friends and they would forever remain that.

With Sky and Helia...

The two specialists had been searching for the Winx as the others had sent them, so they found themselves at the headmistress' office. They knocked on the door and Miss. Griselda opened it and cast them a look. "I'm afraid that the headmistress is busy now, boys. You can come back later." She told them severely.

"Now, come on Griselda, let them in. This must be of great importance." Miss. Faragonda said from behind her as she and Professor Palladium were standing in front of a red couch where Miss. Griffin, recently transformed back in her human form, was lying. The two specialists gladly entered the room as Sky had a worried look on his face.

"Miss. Faragonda, have you seen the Winx?" He asked and Miss. Faragonda gave him a confused look.

"No. Why do you seek them, Sky? Is everything alright?" The worried headmistress asked. Helia couldn't shake the feeling that something was off and he knew that it must be related to Flora. So he wasted no time in speaking.

"Sky thinks that something's off with Bloom's old friend, Selina. And I also have this really bad feeling. My uncle always told me that those kind of feelings come from my magic and should not be ignored." He told the other occupants of the room. Miss Griffin was suddenly pale as she stared at the blue haired specialist.

"Did you just say Selina?" She questioned as she tried to stand up. She was still to weak, so she eventually gave up.

"Yes. Do you know her?" Sky asked, confused and suspicious.

"She's one of them. Selina's working for the Trix." Now this was one of those times when Sky wished that he had been wrong. Selina, working for the Trix? No good could come from this! Just then his phone and Helia's ringed and they opened it to find a new message from Aisha that made the blue haired specialist want to run as fast as he could.

Guys, you have to come to the Greenhouse, we need help! Flora was poisoned by red roses and now there are plant monsters all over the room. We need you, specialists!

The message left no doubt of the emergency of the situation. "We have to go." Helia said and Sky nodded. They started moving towards the door until they were stopped by another voice.

"Wait!" It was Professor Palladium, who had been rather quiet till then. "There's no use in going there until we have the antidote for Flora. I'm sure that the other specialists have gone there, so you two come with me so you can take it to her." Helia looked nervous and unsure, but he knew that the professor was right. They would be of no help if they didn't have the antidote. So he and Sky left with Palladium and went to the potion lab.

Back at the Greenhouse...

The other specialists, Thoren and Daphne reached the room just as Musa was hit hard by one of the plants. Exhausted, the music fairy had no energy to conjure up a barrier or fly away. She was sent flying across the room and would have hit another big tree if Riven hadn't caught her.

"Riven." She said as she stared at him. He smiled at her and she cast back a weak smile. "My hero." She said lowly and then she fell unconscious. Riven looked back at his friends worriedly.

"I'm sure she's just exhausted, Riven." Tecna said with difficulty as she attempted to keep up her barrier. Both she and Stella looked exhausted as well for they had been fighting the plant monsters for a while.

"I'm so glad you guys are here." Stella said happily and Brandon cast her a smile.

"Of course, love. We couldn't let you have all the fun." His joke earned him a glare from the sun fairy.

"Really? Then why don't you come here and have some fun, cause I'm sooo tired." She complained and the specialists easily complied as they took out their weapons and rushed to their side. Riven decided that he'd better stay with Musa, so he carried her to a corner away from the battle and sat down with her on is lap. Usually the others would have found this suspicious, knowing how much Riven loved to fight, but no one paid them much attention.

Nabu went to Aisha and noticed that she too wasn't in such a good shape. Lana had been put in a small crib on the ground and she was crying as her mother attempted to hold back two plants that tried to reach her and Flora.

"Aisha, you can let go of your shield." He told her as he had his staff ready to form a new one. She gave him a doubtful look, but she felt so weak and tired that she let go with a sigh. Nabu quickly build an even stronger barrier and he helped Aisha sit down near Flora and Lana."Here, stay with Lana that I'll protect you both." He told her with a reassuring smile.

Normally Aisha would have argued, but she was too tired for it. So she sat down and reached for Lana. After a few minutes, she managed to calm the little girl down and so she turned her attention back to her best friend. By now Flora was unconscious and her condition had worsened. She was too pale and her breaths were slowing down. Aisha knew that if Bloom took too long to come back, it would be too late. She couldn't bare to think that she might lose her best friend, so she tried to focus to listening to Flora's still beating heart. Not one minute later, Bloom came.

"I'm here." She called and everyone gave her relieved looks as they noticed the small tub in her hands.

"Good timing, Bloom. We'll continue keeping this guys busy, so you can help Flora." Brandon told her and she nodded before fastly flying towards the nature fairy.

"She doesn't look good." She worriedly told an exhausted Aisha, who cast her a sad look.

"No, but she's still alive. But hurry!" Bloom was about to put the antidote in Flora's mouth when it was shot down from her hands.

"Wait! What... What's going on?" The shocked and angry fairy asked. She looked back to find Helia and Sky coming into the Greenhouse. The blue haired specialist had a relieved look on his face while Sky just looked angry.

"That's no antidote Bloom!" He said firmly and Bloom thought that he was mad.

"Of course it was. Selina gave it to me." She argued and Sky sighed before he ran after Helia and towards Bloom, Aisha and Flora. Helia knelt down by the nature fairy's side and took a green tub from his pocket. "What's that?" A confused Bloom asked.

"This is the real antidote. I'm pretty sure that one is actually poison." He told her as he tried to contain his anger. It wasn't her fault, after all, she was tricked just as the rest of them. Bloom looked back at the spilled liquid that Selina had given her and shook her head. It couldn't be poison, it just couldn't.

"Helia." Everyone stopped what they were doing at the sound of her voice, something many thought they would never hear again. Her green eyes were opened as she stared at her fiancée in confusion, barely conscious.

"Flora! You're okay." He excitedly said as he gently caressed her cheek. She used her cold hands to grab his as she attempted to sit up. "You shouldn't make any swift movements, you were poisoned." He told her firmly as he picked her up and put her on his lap.

"Thank goodness." Aisha let out a sigh of relief. They were all relieved, except for Bloom. She had yet to understand what was happening.

"I don't understand." She muttered as her eyes moved towards the poison, Flora and Sky. The blonde specialist knelt by her side as he took her hand.

"I'm sorry that I'm the one to tell you this, Bloom, but Selina's not who you think. Miss. Griffin told us that she's been working with the Trix." Everyone gasped.

"The Trix? I would have never guessed that." Stella said from across the room. Bloom shook her head vigorously.

"No, it can't be! She tricked me!" She screamed as the truth finally sank. She threw herself in Sky's arms and started crying as he comforted her. There was no time for that, though,for a voice spoke from behind them.

"Yes, I did." Selina said with a smirk. Her voice echoed around the room as everyone stared at her in confusion.

"And you're stupid enough to come back here?" Aisha asked in rage as she stood up with Nabu's help. She handed him the baby as she got ready to fight against the person who had almost taken her best friend away.

"I'm not stupid. In fact, I think you're the ones that are stupid. You fell right into my trap." Selina was still smirking as she knew that this was going even better than she had hoped. If Flora had died it would've been better, but that was okay.

"Well, your evil plan didn't work, Flora's very much alive and we're gonna keep it that way." Bloom firmly told her after she left Sky's arms and faced the girl that had been her best friend for over 13 years, but was now her sworn enemy. The smile Selina gave her confused the fairy of the dragon flame.

"Okay, that's enough chatting." Another woman appeared, one the Winx had never seen before. She had a bored expression on her face as she stared at Selina. "Good work, Selina. I knew that I could count on you." She smiled at the young girl as she looked at the mess Selina had made. Upon spotting a certain nature fairy, her cold expression softened for a moment. Flora stared at her in disbelief, sure that she was hallucinating. "Later we'll discuss following orders, but overall you did good." The woman said after casting Selina a severe look.

"Who are you?" Stella asked from her place in Brandon's arms as she stared at the woman in confusion.

"We'll get to that soon. Now, it's time." She woman clapped her hands and looked at Selina, who used her magic to remove the Legendariun from her pocket.

"The Legendariun!" Bloom screamed as the Winx stared at the book with fear. If Selina had that book, they were in big trouble.

"I heard you've been looking for it." Selina asked them while she smirked upon seeing the look on their faces. Everyone was too busy looking at the book or Selina to notice that a certain nature fairy had left her lover's embrace and stood up. Said lover had stood up as well as he helped her.

"Mother?" She asked, now fully awake. Upon hearing the Winx question Catherine, she knew that this wasn't an hallucination. No, this was a living nightmare. Everyone stared at her like she was crazy as they tried to comprehend what she had just said. Catherine cast her a sad smile.

"My dear Flora. You've surely made a mess of things, but now, it's time to fix it." She said in an scolding tone and before anyone could stop her, she started glowing bright green, the same color Flora would glow when she used magic, and that same glow involved everyone in the room, except for Selina. The Winx and Specialists were even more confused as they stared at themselves. They knew this meant no good, but they couldn't stop whatever the strange woman was doing.

"Tornare alla realtá." (It's italian, once again) Catherine said once everyone was involved by the glow. Soon they all disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what are your thoughts? You know who Catherine is, but how is it possible? And where has she taken the Winx? How will everyone react once they find out that they're gone?
> 
> Did you like the Musa X Riven and Aisha X Naby scenes? What about the changes I made for the episode?
> 
> Next chapter the revelations will start. I will warn you in advance that it will take a few chapters for us to go back into the present, for Flora's backstory is a big one. There's a lot that you need to know.


	11. Revelations Part 1: A bond is formed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first part of the revelations: Young Catherine faces the dreadful consequences of having her house destroyed and her entire family murdered. How will she survive alone in this cruel world?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy people. Here it is, the revelations you've all been waiting for. I decided to divide Flora's backstory in six parts. The first three will focus on Catherine and her story and the last three will focus on Flora.
> 
> I know six chapters is a lot for a backstory, but I wanted you to have as many details as possible about Flora's life before she went to Alfea and her relationship with different people in her life. I also wanted you to be able to connect with and understand Catherine emotionally and mentally. Therefore, I will be introducing many new characters, some very important and some merely there for historical purposes.
> 
> To make things easier for you, by the end of each chapter I'll make a list of the most important characters that appeared. I know this is too crazy, but I promise you that everything will make sense and tie together in the end.
> 
> First thing you should know is that the backstory was based on the Tv Shows Once Upon A Time and Reign, so there will be similarities. Most of the characters that you'll see in the next 5 chapters actually existed, though I altered some names and dates in order to fit in. Being a history student, I took the liberty of putting in a lot of my knowledge. Happy reading!

WARNING: THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS WILL CONTAIN SCENES OF STRONG THEMES SUCH AS VIOLENCE, MURDER, MISCARRIAGE, RAPE AND ABUSE. IF YOU'RE SENSITIVE TO EITHER OF THOSE I ADVISE YOU NOT TO READ IT.

Florence, 1523...

It was a year of war, well several years. The Italian Wars had been going on ever since 1521. Italy had made enemies with France and the french were showing no mercy to italian people. Families had been destroyed, children left orphans, fathers had been forced to join the army. This war was different from others, though, because everyone somehow got involved. The rich and the poor, even the pope was involved. No one even knew how these wars had started and no one thought they would ever end.

There was a neighbourhood in Florence where the richest lived, noble families that would usually be unaffected by war. It were neighbourhoods like this that France chose to destroy this time, they were the core of Italy and without their money, the cities wouldn't survive. In a grand green house lived the Medicci Family. On March 26th of 1523, their house was burnt down and robbed by the french.

A man in his late thirties was seen walking towards the house after it's destruction. His face showed concern and horror as he rapidly approached what was left of the Medicci's home. Many people screamed as he walked into the wreckers, telling him he was crazy and would only get himself hurt. He didn't care, though. He had to know if everyone in the house was truly dead.

He passed through many burnt furnitures and bodies of the Mediccis until he reached the garden in the back. It was huge and filled with white roses, the wife of the owner's favorite flowers. As he reached the garden, he saw that the great oak tree that rested there had fallen and he also noticed a small hand behind the tree. As he walked towards it, a young girl managed to come out from under the tree. She had curly blonde hair that was now a mess, creamy skin and chocolate eyes that showed fear and despair. Her hands and shoulder were badly burnt and her leg was bleeding, but she was still alive.

"Catarina." The man screamed and as the girl looked at him, her face showed relief. He ran towards her and kneeled by her side. "My dear god, Catarina." The two hugged as the girl started crying. For a few minutes, they were silent until the girl decided to speak.

"They came from nowhere. I... we weren't expecting it." Her voice was hoarse with tears as she looked at what used to be her home.

"I know, dear. I know." He comforted her and she shivered as she recalled the moment the fire had started. She had been picking flowers in a park nearby when she overheard people talking about the fire. She had come running home to find her parents, the maids and the butler, were all dead. She had been searching for her brother when the tree had fallen near her and she had been trapped.

"Why would they do this?" She asked the man with tears running down her face. He sighed as he looked back at the house.

"I don't know, dear. It seems like all there is these days is violence and war. It's like they've forgotten that we're humans too." He told her and she nodded. Catarina tried to move to sit better, then winced as she realized that her leg was hurting. "We'd better get that checked out. Come on now, child." He told the girl as he noticed her looking at her injured leg.

"That's okay, I can fix it on my own." He gave her a suspicious look and then gasped when the girl pointed her hand at the injury and her leg started glowing a bright green. Soon the injury was gone and the man was impressed and frightened.

"Catarina, what..." She interrupted him before he could ask.

"It's a gift I have, a special gift. At least that's what mother told me. She said I should tell no one, that it was dangerous, so that's why I never told you." The man shook his head as he tried to overcome the shock. He knew exactly why her mother had told her to hide her gift, he knew what would happen to the young girl if she was to be revealed.

"Your mother was absolutely right. We live in a world where gifts like yours, magical gifts, are feared. If you are ever found out, they would kill you,my dear." The girl had a horrified look on her face.

"Do you think maybe they knew and that's why they did this?" She pointed at the destroyed house and the man had a thoughtful look on his face.

"Maybe. But we can't bee too sure, people on the street have said that the french are behind this fire." The man told her.

"I wouldn't doubt that, they caused this war and they will keep going until they get what they want. What do they even want?" She questioned as she was filled with rage towards the french.

"I don't know, dear. But we can't stay here, it's not safe for you." The girl gave him a frightened look.

"Where will we go? I have nothing left." The man took a package out of his pocket and showed it to her.

"There is enough money here to get us somewhere safe." He told her and she gave him a surprised look.

"Did you get that from your paintings?" She asked and he nodded. Her face turned serious all of sudden. "Why are you helping me, Leo? You could sell me out and make even more money." She questioned.

"That's true, but I would never do that to you. After everything your parents did for me, buying most of my paintings and helping me find a place to stay, the least I can do is take care of you, dear Catarina." The girl smiled and the two hugged. It was a friendly hug, because after all, he was a friend of the family.

"Thank you, Leonardo." She thanked him. They stood up and he gave her his coat so she could hide her identity. Both walked out of the burnt house and into the backstreet. They stopped once they had gotten far enough from the house as Leonardo pulled out two papers.

"Here, take this. It's your new passport. Your parents gave it to me a few days ago, it was almost as if they knew that this tragedy would happen." She picked the passport where it red Catherine Blanchet. She took a look at his own passport, which didn't have a fake name because he was never in danger. Leonardo da Vinci, it read. The famous painter known all over Europe. And the closest friend to the Mediccis.

"My father had this made?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Now, where shall we go?" He asked her and Catherine thought for a second. As she looked at the burnt house in the distance, her grieving heart told her there was only one place she wanted to be.

"I want to go to France." He stared at her with wide eyes.

"France? Are you mad, child? Those people murdered your family, if you go there they'll kill you." Catherine dismissed his warning.

"My last name here is french." She simply said as she pointed at the passport. " My father had this made because he knew that this is the only place where I will be safe. I've learned enough about the world to know that France is the only safe country right now, it's the only place that't not being torn down by war, when even England might fall any day." He was impressed at such logical thinking and knowledge for a 15 years old, but he guessed that the rich liked to keep themselves informed. So Catherine and Leonardo left for France the next day, after she used her magic to take care of the burnts. All around the city word spread of the fall of the Mediccis and the more Catherine thought about it, the more she knew that going to France was also a way of getting her revenge on the people who had killed her family.

Paris, 24th of July of 1523...

It had been four months since Catherine and Leonardo had moved to Paris. The young girl had managed to get a job in the palace as a maid while Leonardo kept working on his paintings. Being rather famous in France for his beautiful piece, Mona Lisa, he was asked to make portraits of many nobles and even the crowned prince, Henry.

Said prince was a 17 years old young man with short brown hair, jade eyes and tanned skin. He was known for his talent with the ladies and there was one in particular that had left him intrigued. Ever since Catherine had gotten there, he had been chasing her, but she had turned him down. The prince wasn't used to it, so he was very interested in this beautiful girl who had been the first to reject him.

Catherine knew that rejecting the prince would only make him turn his attention to her, so she played with him like any clever lady would do in such hard times for women. Having her mind set on regaining her fortune, the young woman hoped that her plan would work.

It did so and soon the prince was sending her letters of love and desire, claiming to be enamoured with her. She didn't believe so and she knew that he was only after one thing. However, being desperate, Catherine finally let him have his way and by October the two of them were having an affair. Catherine was later surprised to find out that Henry did care for her and didn't want to be with her just in bed.

Leonardo warned her not to get her hopes up and that falling in love with the prince of France wasn't the best idea. She once again dismissed his warnings and let herself be happy in her newfound relationship with the heir to the french throne. There was an obstacle to their relationship, though, and it went by the name of Diane De Poitiers.

Diane was daughter of a rich nobleman of Paris, someone who owned over 50% of the lands. With no princesses available, Henry's parents had thought it was fitting to arrange a marriage between him and Diane, knowing that the benefits of that relationship would be as good as one with a princess. That was one of the reasons why the king and queen despised Catherine so much.

Henry wasn't stupid and he knew that he would never be able to marry Catherine, though he was in love with her, so before he and Diane got married he made Catherine his official mistress. Such a title was sometimes even more important than that of queen, though there were risks. If Henry was to get tired of her and got himself a new mistress, Catherine would be ruined. She already knew that she would never find herself a good marriage because everyone knew that she was no longer a virgin. So she vowed to herself to always keep him interested.

She knew it wouldn't be so hard, considering the lack of feelings Henry had for Diane. Though Queen Claude and her husband did everything to make sure those two got along, arranging walks around the palace gardens, picnics and balls. Henry's feelings never grew to love, but he did start to like Diane. It was enough for him to believe that marrying her wouldn't be the end of the world. Besides, he knew that as crowned prince of France, it was his duty, and duty won over heart.

In the night of November the 14th of 1523, the most horrible thing happened: the death of the king of France. Unexpected death, that was. Being barely 40, no one would expect King Francis to fall to his death, but it wasn't natural death, it was murder. The culprit was one of his personal guards, who was later discovered to be an italian and so everyone believed he had gotten his revenge for the Italian Wars.

Said guard wasn't, however, the real murderer. No, the person who killed the king was someone no one would expect, because she was a woman. Having taken advantage of the belief that women were harmless and incapable of ever killing someone, Catherine hadn't been worried when she followed the king into his office after a party. He had gone alone, for once, having just gotten out of a huge fight with his queen, so he had asked the guards not to disturb him. Only Geppetto, his personal guard, had followed him. Catherine had made sure to get to the king's office before he got there himself, so neither of them had any idea that she was there.

The king had been so drunk that he barely noticed when she came out of her hiding spot in the wardrobe. She had come right in front of him as all of the feelings of sadness, rage and vengeance that she had tried to suppress since she had first come to France resurfaced. Before the king could say anything, she had already put the pocket knife she had stolen in his neck. His eyes showed surprise as he stared silently at her. As she watched his life leave him, guilt settled in.

"I'm sorry, but you deserve this. You have ruined my life." She told him in a whisper and the king just stared at her in surprise and pain. Never would he have expected for his life to be taken away by a woman, much less a simple maid. "You're surprised because I'm just a woman, but you don't really know who I am." She told him and then a melancholic smile came to her face.

By then they were both on the floor as the king had fallen and she kneeled besides him. The sounds of the party were far too distant now. "My real name is Catarina de Medicci." She told him and the king stared at her with wide eyes. "Guess you remember my family and how you sent your guards to destroy us." Rage came back as she recalled the day her life had fallen apart. "Yes, you were responsible for their deaths and many others in this stupid war. So this is my revenge. But don't worry, I'll take good care of France and your son. After all, this is my home now." Those were the last words she would ever say to the King of France because after they were spoken, he was gone.

Catherine stared at him for a few seconds as she felt guilty for what she had done. But as she thought about her parents, her family, who had all fallen because of that man, her conscience was eased. This might not have been right, but what he did hadn't been either. You could say that they were even now. With one last look at the king, Catherine used her magic to disappear. She reappeared back in her small room and as she stared in the mirror, she smiled. This was going better than she had thought. Not only had she gotten her revenge, but she was sure that she would get away with it.

The next few minutes had been chaotic in the castle. The king's personal guard had entered the room to find him dead and he had started freaking out. He had searched for the killer and had come up with no one. Luck was certainly not on his side that night because soon the queen had come to her husband's office and she had found him standing near the king's body. He had been blamed for his murder and sentenced to death. Geppetto's death was the only thing that Catherine regretted about that night. He was an innocent who didn't deserve to die, much less die as a villain when he had done nothing wrong. But she couldn't change what had happened, so she kept quiet and prayed that God would forgive her.

With the king's death, it was decided that Henry must take the throne as soon as possible or France would be vulnerable and that couldn't happen, much less during times of war. Much to Catherine's unhappiness, the queen also decided to move up the date of Henry's marriage to Diane. Henry didn't even argue with his mother, having been too shocked and devastated with his father's death to even think about how he wished not to marry Diane.

They got married in December the 16th, over a month later. In that same day they were crowned as the new king and queen of France. Henry had promised Catherine a permanent position as his official mistress and she accepted it. She was forced to be at the wedding because of her job as a maid and it was during that day that she made a decision that would impact the lives of many in the future: she decided that she wanted to be queen. The idea had come to her after she murdered the king and she realized that it wasn't enough, she needed something else for her revenge to be complete. And what better way to avenge the people who ruined your life by becoming their leader?

So Catherine decided to find a way to become queen one day, no matter what it took. The first thing she needed to do was find a way to get rid of the current queen and that wasn't going to be easy. She needed a plan and so she turned to an unlikely ally to help her.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

Catherine: daughter of Lorenzo de Medicci, an italian nobleman, and his wife, Madeleine de Meddici.

Leonardo da Vinci: famous artist from Italy. Friend of Catherine's family.

Henry: prince of France. Catherine's lover.

Diane De Poitiers: Henry's fiancée, daughter of a nobleman of Paris.

Francis: King of France, murdered by Catherine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, I forgot to say this at the beginning, but these next few chapters will show a love story gone wrong, as I'm sure that you can already guess. After all, if it went right, Catherine wouldn't have become a villain. Seriously, this is such a sad story that I almost cried while writing a few chapters. I don't know how I came up with it, my brain sometimes just wants to make everyone cry.
> 
> Anyways, what did you think? Can you guess who's Flora's father now? What about Catherine's ally? (only those who watched Reign might figure this one out) And what will Catherine do in her quest to become the queen of France? Next chapter Will's identity will be revealed, so this is your last chance to leave me with your theories.


	12. Revelations part 2: facing obstacles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2nd part of the revelations story: As Catherine plots to kill Diane so that she can be queen, Henry receives a suprise that could change everything and ruin Catherine's plan. What is it? And how will it affect his relationship with her?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, people. Thanks so much for your reviews, I wasn't expecting such positive reactions to this part of this story, since it's not focused on Winx. I'm glad you're enjoying it and if you're curious about just how historically accurate this is, you can search for Catherine de Medicci, Diane de Poitiers and other characters you'll see.
> 
> So this is the second revelation chapter and the second part of Catherine and Henry's story. Here we have Catherine's plan on how to become queen.

Paris, January, 8th of 1524...

It was a cold winter night and many richly dressed citizens were seen walking around the city, most of them heading to the royal palace. It had been almost two months since the death of King Francis and France was still suffering, though its new king was bringing joy to all as he lead with strength and confidence. On this night there was a celebration at the palace of the birthday of Queen Claude, Francis' wife. The Queen would be turning 35 that night and so her son prepared a beautiful party for her with the help of his wife.

Said wife was Diane De Poitiers, daughter of a rich nobleman of Paris and the new Queen of France. The arranged marriage between herself and Henry had not been going so well due to his affections for another woman, Catherine Blanchet. Having been a simple maid for about four months, Catherine was now known as the king's official mistress and so she was granted vast territories, chateaus and a small fortune. She was glad to have some of her fortune back, but it wasn't enough. With her mind set on becoming queen, she needed to get rid of Diane.

That was why she had come to Queen Claude's birthday, a woman who hated her and definitely wouldn't wish she was there. Catherine was seeking an alliance with someone she knew could help her and that someone would be at the palace that night. So she dressed in her finest clothes, wished that Henry would be too busy with his mother and new wife to notice that she was there, and waited.

It was late at night when he finally came to the party. He greeted both queens with a respectful bow and chatted for a while with Claude. Soon, he excused himself and that was when Catherine followed him. She was very discreet, but the man sensed that she was following him and he stopped before he reached outside. He gave her a suspicious look.

"Good night, Nostradamus." Catherine told him as she smiled. His expression didn't change.

"Good night, milady. Might I know why the king's mistress seems to be following me." He questioned.

"You knew that I was following you." Catherine stated and she moved closer to him. "Which makes me believe that the queen might be wrong and you actually are... something special." Catherine said as she gave him a warm smile. The fact that both Queen Claude and Diane's father thought that Nostradamus was a fraud made her plan even easier.

"What is it that you want with me?" He questioned her, a wary look on his face. A young couple passed by them and Catherine shook her head.

"Not here." She told him firmly as she signaled for him to follow her. What she didn't know was that there was someone who had followed her there as well. A man named Richard Delacroix, a count that had lived his entire life in Paris. He was already 20 and unmarried, as none would expect for such a rich and powerful man. The reason for his loneliness was his mental instability that distanced him from the other counts and made every woman afraid to near him. He was okay with that, though, because he already had a woman in mind.

Catherine Blanchet, the king's mistress, was his target. He had become obsessed with her ever since the prince's birthday the year before and his feelings for her had only grown. He restrained himself, though, not wanting the king to know of his feelings. He seeked a moment alone with her so he could tell her, but he didn't find it. She was always accompanied either by the king or her loyal friend, Leonardo da Vinci. He had thought that tonight would be perfect, since she left the ball alone for once, but now she was in the company of another man, Nostradamus.

Richard was sure that her interests in him were far from romantic, but jealousy rose anyways. He thought about going there and making sure Nostradamus stayed away from the beautiful lady, but before he could take one step, one of the counts appeared and started chatting with him. He was forced back into the ball, where the king's guards could keep an eye on him. He vowed to himself that one day he would have Catherine and she would love him. He wouldn't fail.

Catherine and Nostradamus entered an empty room near the palace entrance and she closed the door behind her and put a chair near it. She went to the furthest corner of the room. No one could hear what she was about to say or she would be hanged.

"So, now that we are alone, why don't you tell me what's on your mind." Nostradamus said, already having an idea of what Catherine wanted.

"You are a strange man, Nostradamus. From what Henry has told me, you claim to have the ability to see the future and heal injuries that no one else could." Catherine started and Nostradamus crossed his arms.

"I do not claim to be able to do such things, I speak the truth." He told her firmly and she smiled.

"I know you do." He looked at her, surprised. "I can do similar things as well, because, like you, I am special." Catherine wasn't afraid of telling him about who she was, she knew that he wouldn't tell on her. He would be on her side once this conversation was over.

"I don't believe you." He gave her a suspicious look and her smile didn't falter. Using all her energy, she glowed bright green for a second and then the small flower that was placed at the center of a table grew once again. "Amazing." He watched her with wide eyes.

"Just as your ability to see the future." She told him after she stopped the spell.

"Is that what you desire? To know your future?" He asked her and she shook her head.

"No, I already know what my future's gonna be. I need you to help me accomplish it." He looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"And how would I help you? And why?" She was ready for these questions.

"You'll help me because we are the same, we are different, special. And I can offer you a chance for revenge on Jean de Poitiers." She smirked upon seeing his expression after she mentioned his sworn enemy. She had been told by Henry that the hatred between Jean and Nostradamus went far back and was caused mostly by the first's constant humiliation of the latter. Though, Catherine was sure there was something else, someone else in the middle. A girl, probably. She didn't care about the reasons behind said hatred, though, what mattered most was that it was enough to get him to work with her.

"You know about Jean de Poitiers?" Nostradamus asked shockingly as he assumed no one knew the story behind his hatred towards that man.

"I know that you hate him. But tell me, how far would you be willing to go to get your revenge?" She asked him determinately and he didn't take long to answer.

"How far would I have to, if I helped you?" He asked. Let it be clear that Nostradamus was used to using his powers only for good, to help people, but after being ridiculed and humiliated, the thought of revenge was fresh on his mind.

"I want to kill Diane de Poitiers." Catherine calmly said as she knew that she had him. His eyes widened even more, but soon his expression changed to curiosity.

"Why have you come to me then? You could easily kill her yourself, considering the gift you have." She shook her head.

"That wouldn't be helpful at all, I need her death not to be traced back to me. I happen to know that you're an expert when it comes to making potions, so I was wondering if you could maybe prepare one that would make the Queen's death look like the result of an illness." He was impressed with such cleverness coming from her, but he could see that her plan might help him as well.

"And what's in it for me?" He questioned her and a smirk came to her face. Catherine took a bag from her pocket and put it on the table. Many golden coins fell from it.

"You'll be as rich as you so desire." She had assumed that he would be after money, considering everyone would wish for a chance to be rich at such hard times, so she was surprised when he shook his head.

"I don't wish for money." He said firmly.

"Then what do you desire?" She questioned, curiously.

"I wish to be recognized." She thought about it for a second and concluded that it would be nice to have him as an ally for even longer.

"Okay, then. When I'm queen, and I will be, once Diane's gone, you'll be my most trusted advisor. No one will doubt you ever again and no one will humiliate you." Nostradamus smiled, liking the idea. He extended his hand and she shook it.

"Guess you've got yourself an ally, your majesty." He said and Catherine smiled as she pictured how soon she would become the Queen of France. Unfortunately, she didn't see the surprise that would be awaiting her in a few short months.

April, 18th of 1524...

Spring had just began and flowers were blooming everywhere, the cold was vanishing and the sun was warming up the french. In the palace gardens, Catherine Blanchet was seen walking around as she picked flowers for her newly acquired chateau. Her beautiful long blonde hair moved in wind as she wore a red dress that complimented her curves. Many gentleman that passed by couldn't help but stare at such a beauty, but they never approaching her, knowing that she was unreachable.

The reason for that was her title of the king's mistress and the recognition that she belonged to him and no man was allowed to become close to her unless they had the king's permission. There was one man, though, not very friendly towards the king, who had started developing an obsession with her. People had always said he wasn't mentally stable and his condition was worsening since he was in love with a woman he could never have and who would never love him. So he watched her from the shadows, dreaming, wishing, but never approaching her. On this day he hid behind a great oak tree as he saw her coming that way.

She didn't even notice him, too busy thinking about her plan to have King Henry all to herself. She had been working with the psychic, Nostradamus, as they tried to find a way to get rid of Queen Diane, the only obstacle in the way of the young couple. After all, it was no secret that Henry was in love with Catherine just as she was with him. Catherine's plan to kill the Queen had been going on for 3 months and there were no results so far.

"Good morning, milady." Catherine was surprised to find King Henry in a huge oak tree as he seemed to be waiting for her.

"Your majesty. What are you doing out here?" She asked after the usual courtesy.

"I've been waiting for you. It seems like you spent more times collecting flowers than I expected." He pointed at the basket she was carrying, which was filled with white roses. "These are beautiful." He said and she smiled.

"Yes, they are. My favorites, as you know well." She said as she recalled the time before they began their affair, when he had been so desperate to have her that he sent her many bouquets of white roses as a way to prove his love. "So, you wished to see me?" She turned the conversation back to the reason for his presence there.

"Oh, yes. I needed to... I have news." He told her nervously.

"What sort of news?" She inquired curiously.

"Well, Diane and I... You see..." He had trouble telling her something he was sure she wouldn't be happy about. He didn't even know why he was telling her.

"What about you two?" She frowned as she said it, unhappy about the situation.

"We're having a child." Catherine stopped immediately and the basket fell from her hands. She stared at him with wide eyes.

"You're what?" She asked, hoping she had heard wrong. Disbelief was clear on her face.

"She's pregnant, Catherine. I thought you wouldn't be too thrilled about it." He commented and she glared at him.

"Of course I'm not thrilled. Who would be, after hearing that the man they love is having children with someone else?" He gave her a sad look as he wasn't too happy with this situation. But there was nothing they could do.

"You know that I love you, right?" He tried to make this easier for her, but it was no use.

"I guess I should congratulate you, then." Catherine said coldly as she tried to hold her anger. This wasn't the time to lose control of her emotions.

"Thank you. I... I have to go. I've got a meeting with the portuguese ambassador." He told her before giving her a kiss in the hand and leaving. She watched him walk away in rage and sadness. She knew what she needed to do now, so she quickly went back to her chateau. Getting there, she met Leonardo as he was putting the finishing touches on his last piece, a portrait of Queen Claude as she had requested.

"Good afternoon, dear. Is everything okay?" He asked upon seeing the look on her face. The two of them had become much closer ever since they had moved to France and he had become a father figure to her. Though she was in no mood to discuss her love life right now.

"Yes, I'll just pay a small visit to Nostradamus." Leonardo nodded his head before he went back to painting and Catherine climbed the stairs to the physic's room. She opened it to find him sitting on the table as he tested many potions, as usual.

"Good afternoon, milady." He greeted and Catherine sighed before she walked towards the free chair in front of him and sat down.

"We've got a problem." The seriousness in her tone alerted him.

"What's wrong?" He cautiously asked.

"Diane's pregnant." She told him and his eyes widened. "We have to get rid of her, now!" She added.

"What? You can't be serious!" She was shocked.

"Of course I'm serious. If she has that child, my plan will never work." Catherine said frustratedly.

"Catherine, we can't kill a child. That's a line I'm not willing to cross." He told her firmly and she frowned.

"I don't want to, but that child is also a heir to the throne. Even if I kill Diane, as long as she lives I'll never be able to become queen." Nostradamus gave her a serious look.

"You'll be queen someday, I can promise you that. But we can't kill Diane yet, the poison's not ready." He told her seriously. Catherine breathed in as she attempted to calm herself down.

"Okay... Okay. I will find a way to become queen, no matter what. I just have to wait until that baby's born and then I can get rid of Diane. I'll raise him or her like they're my own because that child doesn't deserve to be alone." She told herself and it was decided. They would wait until the baby was born.

September 11th, 1524...

It had been many months since Catherine had learnt of Queen Diane's pregnancy and things hadn't been easy for anyone. Afraid for herself and her child, Diane had demanded that Henry stopped seeing Catherine and erased her title as his mistress. He had disagreed and the two had been fighting a lot, causing her to be stressed and almost losing the baby once.

Catherine's hatred for Diane grew with each day that went by and she even distanced herself from Henry as she was mad at him for marrying Diane and getting her pregnant. Catherine's plan to kill Diane and become queen had been put on pause and she hated the uncertainty that followed this child, the heir to the throne. Catherine wanted to hate her, she was the cause of her misery. She couldn't, though.

That child didn't deserve to be hated so much and Catherine knew that the only way she would be able to make God forgive her for killing Diane was to be good to that child, love her like it was her own. But the time for that hadn't come yet, so she spent her days in her chateau, in the company of Leonardo and Nostradamus. Both man felt sorry for her and attempted to comfort her, but there was nothing they could do. They didn't know what she was facing, they were man.

One night Catherine was walking around the gardens, the only place where she could feel calm and happy. The smell of the white roses was fresh and tranquilizing and she relished in those moments spent there, remembering how she used to do the same in her old home. Italy. She barely knew what was going on there, if it even existed anymore or if it was destroyed by war. She wished she could go back in time, when she lived there, when she was truly happy.

As she walked, she missed the shadow that followed her, the shadow that had been following her for almost a year. Richard Delacroix, the man who loved her and she never knew. He had seen this night as the perfect opportunity to have her, afterall she was alone. He waited until she reached the great oak tree before grabbing her with one hand and covering her mouth with the other. Her scream never came out and there was no one else to see them.

He wrapped a scarf around her mouth so she couldn't scream and carried her to the forest. He carried a lamp in his right hand, so it wasn't completely dark. They reached the heart of the forest, where there was said to be wolves and other fearful creatures, but Richard didn't care. He set her down in a rock as he put the lamp in another. Her brown eyes showed fear and confusion and he liked it.

"I'm going to take this off now, but don't even bother screaming, or I'll kill you." He threatened as he pulled out a pocket knife and used it to cut the scarf that prevented her from speaking.

"Who are you?" She asked. She was sure that she had never seen him before or heard of him. He was a complete stranger and that scared her even more.

"Don't you know me?" He asked and she shook her head. He laughed bitterly. "Of course, Henry wouldn't want you to. He's afraid that you would leave him and come running into my arms." He smiled and her fear grew. It was clear that this man was crazy.

"You didn't answer my question." She said.

"I am Richard Delacroix, your lover." She raised her eyebrows at him. She recalled that name being spoken once by Queen Claude.

"My lover?" She questioned and his smile widened.

"Yes, my beautiful Catherine. I've been in love with you for a long time and now, you're finally mine." He approached her and kissed her, taking her by surprise. She pushed him away immediately.

"Stop it! Don't you dare kiss me." She screamed, forgetting about the knife he held. Her rejection made him even more unstable and he looked at her angrily.

"How dare you?" He screamed angrily and he stabbed her. She felt blood running through her shoulder and she looked at him in shock. This wasn't good.

"What? Are you mad?" She regretted asking it the second she did. Of course he was mad. Only sick people would kidnap someone and attack them.

"I am mad for you! Why can't you see it, my love?" She shook her head, disgusted. She needed to get out of there before this escalated.

"Okay, it's okay. Why don't we go somewhere nicer, huh?" She attempted to calm him down. He eyed her suspiciously. "We could walk back to the gardens, I'll be good, I promise."

"Do you think I'm stupid? I know that if we go back there, you'll run away. No,I'm never letting you go." He approached her as he said it and she took a few steps back. She ended up tripping on a branch and she fell to the ground. Richard's figure began blurring as she hit her head hard and she was on the verge of unconsciousness. This couldn't be happening.

"Now you've hurt yourself. See what happens when you run from me?" He asked as he walked towards her. Before he could reach her, an arrow was shot and almost hit him. "What the hell?" He looked back to find five men. King Henry was leading as Nostradamus, Leonardo and two guards followed him.

"Step away from her, right now!" Henry ordered and Richard didn't move. Leonardo set another arrow the count's way and it hit him in the shoulder. He started running away and Henry signalled for the guards to go after him.

"Henry?" Catherine asked quietly as she looked at him, barely conscious. He immediately ran to her side and kneeled.

"It's okay, love, you're safe now." He said and she threw herself in his arms. As mad as she was, he had saved her and she was scared.

"How did you know where to find me?"She questioned after they parted from their embrace. It was Nostradamus who answered her question.

"I saw that you were in trouble, so I convinced Leonardo and we went to get the king. It seems as if we got here just on time." Catherine smiled at him. Sure, they had become friends after all these months, but she didn't know he cared so much.

"Thank you." He nodded.

"I'm glad you're safe, dear." Leonardo said as he too kneeled and moved in for a hug she gladly returned.

"But you're injured. You need to be taken to the infirmary." Catherine looked back at her shoulder, where Richard had stabbed her. She shared a look with Leonardo and he shook her head, but she ignored it. She knew that she could count on Henry. He wouldn't hurt her.

"That's okay, I can fix this myself." She said and she used her magic to heal her injury. Henry was so shocked that he stepped away from her as he stared at her with wide eyes.

"But that's magic! Dark magic, the sign of the devil!" He screamed and Catherine shook her head.

"No,it's not dark magic, it's good magic. Please, Henry, believe me when I tell you that I would never use it to harm anyone." He still had an uncertain look, but he didn't have time to reply. The guards came back with Richard and Henry told them to arrest him for the meantime so he could think of a punishment. Him and Catherine walked back to her chateau and she managed to convince him not to tell anyone about her magic and to accept it. It wasn't so difficult, considering he was in love with her and would never harm her.

"I love you, Catherine. Now and forever." He declared once they were saying goodbye. She smiled at him and they kissed for the first time in months. It was passionate, desperate and it reaffirmed the love they felt for each other. A love that was forbidden, dangerous, but true. Later when he returned to his chambers to meet his pregnant wife, Henry wondered why God had been so cruel as to give him a love that could never be.

November, 17th of 1524...

Queen Diane cried out in pain as she lay in her bed with King Henry patiently sitting by her side. Maids and a doctor surrounded the couple as the Queen was giving birth to their son, the future king of France. It had been months since the revelation of her pregnancy and France was ecstatic with the prospect of the heir being born only a year after the death of the last king.

"I can't do this" The queen said tiredly as she felt the pain of labour. Henry gently caressed her face as he cast her a smile.

"Yes, you can. You're strong enough, Diane. Think about our son, the future king of France." He told her, thinking it would help. She screamed out again as she was forced to push and soon they heard a loud cry.

"It's a boy." The doctor screamed with joy before he handed the baby to a nurse so he could be cleaned. The happy couple celebrated as they were relieved to be right about it being a male.

"You did it, my dear." Henry told his wife as they hugged and kissed. In that moment, it didn't matter that he was in love with someone else, all he could think about was his child.

"Here he is, your majesty." The nurse said as she handed Diane the baby, wrapped in a green blanquet. She gladly took him as she smiled at her son.

"Hello there, William." She said as she shared a look with Henry. They had long since decided that he would be named William, after the most powerful king of France, who had come closer to conquering England than any other. Brown eyes looked back at the queen in confusion. "He's handsome like his father." Diane proudly said and she and Henry kissed for a moment.

"Yes, he is. And, someday, he will be a powerful king. The most powerful of all." The little boy extended his arm towards his father and Henry attempted to hold him. Diane left the room so she could change into her royal clothes and so Henry got to spend a little time with his son.

"Come on, love. It's time to present him to France." Diane told him and she took the baby back. Henry quickly stood up and hugged her from behind as they headed towards the balcony of their room so that they could show the people of France their future ruler.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

Nostradamus: wizard, known as the town's psychic. Enemies with Diane's father and Queen Claude. Catherine's ally.

Richard Delacroix: count, obsessed with Catherine.

Diane: Queen of France. Married to Henry.

Henry: King of France.

William: prince of France.

Catherine: king's official mistress and lover.

Claude: former Queen of France, Henry's mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, are you guys suffering with this tragic story? Next chapter it will get even more complicated and we'll have a new character you've been waiting to see: our very own fairy of nature, Flora. Yep, she's coming next chapter, though she won't have a big part.
> 
> Here we have Catherine's plan, but will it work? Will she manage to become queen? Are you understanding why Catherine turned out to be a villain? We'll see many more reasons in the next few chapters. If there's something that you don't understand, feel free to ask me in your reviews. I know how complicated history can be.
> 
> Ah, two things I completely forgot to add in the first note: Has anyone ever watched Reign? It's such a good show and well, it's the base for this story. Also, I'm surprised no one said anything about me adding Leonardo da Vinci in this chapter. What did you think about that?


	13. Revelations Part 3: change of plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 2 years have passed since the birth of Prince William and things between Henry and Catherine haven't been great. Her plan to become queen of France is going slow, but a great surprise comes and changes everything. How will Henry cope with the changes in their relationship? And will they finally be able to be together?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, people! Here we have the last Flora-less chapter. The next ones are gonna be all about her and her relationship with Will, Henry, Catherine and other characters. Some of you have made a very important question: how does Miele will fit into this story? And what about Flora's parents from the show,Alyssa and Rollos?
> 
> I can't answer them right now, because I'd be giving you a huge spoiler, but I can tell you that there will be an explanation for them. The revelations will end right before the first episode of Winx and ( I hope) you'll be able to understand how everything came to be. Be ready for a lot of craziness! Also, (SPOILER ALERT) there will be some Once Upon A Time references. Does anyone watch it? I love that show, it's amazing! I was prepared to give up on it, but after season 6 came out, it was so great I remained a hard core fan.

September,22nd of 1526...

It had been nearly two years since Prince William, heir to the french throne, was born. Through that time, many things had changed in France. The Italian Wars had ended almost as abruptly as they had started, though Italy was nowhere near forgiving France for those hard years. With many countries destroyed and England slowly succumbing to protestantism, France was the safest and most stable place on Earth, except for the New World, which was becoming a traveling destination for many amongst Europe.

France and Scotland were trying to make an alliance as the latter were concerned about England's interest in taking over the country and turning it protestant. The alliance wasn't possible yet since Scotland had nothing to offer France that would make said alliance worth it. So King James V tried to come up with another plan.

Another one who was making plans was Catherine Blanchet, mistress of King Henry of France. She had been planning on killing the queen so she could become one herself, but it was proving to be very difficult. But things had changed over the past few weeks and she felt more confident about her plan. That's why she was in such a happy mood as she walked along the palace and towards her chateau. Having just had a conversation with King Henry, she had told him the good news and he had been shocked, but she was sure that soon he would be thrilled.

A party was to be held at the palace that night, in honor of the King's 21st birthday and Catherine had gone home to get ready. She knew that this was a special date, mostly because of what she had found out. So she dressed in her finest clothes and waited for the king to meet her as they had agreed to talk before the party. By seven he came, dressed richly and looking better than ever. He greeted her friend, Leonardo, politely and waited for her to walk down the stairs and towards the living room. She didn't miss the look on his face as she did so and she smiled.

"Good night, milady." He formally greeted.

"Good night, your majesty," She said just as formally.

"May I say you look just ravishing." He complimented and she smiled brightly.

"Why thank you." She curtsied and his look turned back to Leonardo, who was watching them suspiciously, for he didn't know of her news yet.

"May we be left alone?" Henry said as he looked at Leonardo and the guard that had followed him. Both exited the room quickly and he was left with Catherine. They sat down on the couch and he sighed.

"So, have you thought about what I've told you?" She asked him.

"I have and I don't know yet what to feel." He said and she frowned.

"Be happy. This is a gift from God, we should be thankful." She told him sternly and he smiled.

"You're right, this is great. It's just, Diane's not too happy about it." Catherine scoffed and he cast her a warning look.

"I apologize, but Diane has never been too happy about our relationship. I just wish she has no intention of harming us." He shook his head immediately.

"No, she doesn't. She's not even too concerned about this, she's told me that what she really wishes for is that you wouldn't be too close to William." Catherine sighed. Being close to William was a part of her plan and a way for her to lessen the guilt of what she was going to do.

"Why does she see it as such a bad thing? After what we learned today, this relationship I have with William might be crucial." She told him and he had to agree. His response was interrupted by the ringing of bells, signaling that it was already 8 pm, time when the party would start.

"I must go now, the party will be starting soon. We'll discuss this more, later." He told her and they said their goodbyes and he went back to the palace. Catherine immediately went upstairs as she knew that she needed to talk to Nostradamus. They had become close friends after the two years since William's birth and he was the only one she could truly confide to about her pain and anger, since Leonardo would surely not approve of what she was planning. He was too kind and good to understand how much she hated Diane and so she had let him out of her plan.

"Come in." Nostradamus answered after she knocked on the door. She opened it and entered the room that was usually a mess, filled with potions and ingredients.

"Wow, this time you've made such a mess I don't know how it will be cleaned." She told him with a laugh as she looked around the room. There were liquids spread across the table, dead flowers, something that smelled terrible and broken glass. Catherine was careful not to step on it on her way to the chair she usually sat.

"Did you forget that we have magic?" He questioned, barely looking at her. All his attention was focused on a small green tub in his hands.

"Of course not. I just wish your magic could work faster. After what I discovered today, we'll need to move up our plan." She said seriously as she crossed her arms across her chest. He smiled at her, to which she was confused.

"Of course. Now that you're pregnant, it's the perfect time to kill the queen." Her eyes widened at his words.

"How did you?!" She asked a bit freaked out until she remembered. "I hate it when you do that, it freaks me out." He laughed.

"There's nothing I can do about my gift. I don't control it." He replied and Catherine gave him a curious look.

"So, have you seen my future?" He shook his head.

"As I've told you many times, for some strange reason, I'm incapable of guessing your future. However, I did see the child's future." Catherine was glad to have at least some detail of what would happen.

"So, what did you see?" He smiled before answering.

"She'll be a beautiful lady, with eyes green like the forest and skin tan like the indians. She'll be kind and gentle, so everyone will love her. Well, not everyone, because she'll be the king's bastard child and many will figure she wants to take the throne. But overall, she will be happy." Catherine smiled as well.

"That's good, it's all I could ever want for her. Now, about Diane, do you think we can speed up the poison making process?" She questioned and Nostradamus' smile widened.

"There's no need, the poison's ready. I finished it today." Catherine was almost jumping with joy.

"That's so great. Tell me, how exactly will this work?" She asked.

"Well, we'll need to find a way to put it in her food so she can consume it. I've tested it on some corpses of soldiers who were brought back from the Italian Wars and it worked out perfectly. The one who's poisoned will show symptoms of the black death, they'll be dead in a few days. No one will suspect anything." Catherine's smiled enlarged.

"Good. We'll wait a few days, then. Today's the King's birthday and I don't want him to suffer yet." It was settled. In just a few days, Queen Diane of France would die and so Catherine's path would be free.

October, 1st of 1526...

The day wasn't special, there were no parties or great events happening in the palace. However, it would turn out to be a very important day because of the terrible things that happened then. No one saw it coming, it was just another quiet day like any other. With a light breeze helping in the falling of leaves from the trees and the sun shyly appearing to give some warmth to the residents of the palace, no one could have expected this day to be anything but peaceful.

In the gardens, a young boy of nearly 2 years old ran around, trying to catch a few leaves as a woman with blonde hair watched him. She was smiling at the boy's silliness and she wondered how could someone so innocent and sweet cause so much trouble, even if indirectly.

"Look, Cathy, I caught twee of them!" He screamed in delight as he ran towards her. She kneeled down and looked at him with a proud smile.

"That you did. Very well, William." His smile enlarged after being praised. "Why don't you make it rain now?" The woman asked and the young boy widened his eyes.

"Yes! That's a good idea." He said excitedly before he threw the leaves in the air and they fell down on him as he laughed. She picked him up and spun him around, as a young couple watched them from afar. The woman had an unhappy expression on her face while the man smiled.

"Heny..." The woman started saying, but her husband interrupted her.

"Please, Diane. Don't start." She sighed deeply as she knew it was no use pointing how wrong that interaction was. He starting walking towards the woman and the child and she reluctantly followed him.

"Look who's there, Will!" The blonde woman excitedly said as she pointed at the man who was approaching them. The little boy waved at him.

"Daddy!" He screamed and the man started running. When he got to where they were, he picked Will up and hugged him tightly.

"How's it going, my boy?" He asked the child and the woman who had been playing with him smiled at them both.

"It's going well, isn't it, Will?" She questioned and he nodded his head.

"Yep, Cathy and I vewy happy." Both adults laughed at his misspelling just as the other woman caught up with them.

"Catherine." She greeted with a frown that was mirrored by the blonde woman.

"Diane. How was the meeting?" She asked her formally.

"The meeting went well. Thanks for looking after Will, Catherine." The man answered a bit nervously. It was never a good idea to have this two women on the same room. It was bound to be trouble.

"That's okay, he's a fine young man." She said while smiling at Will. He was too busy looking at some squirrels to pay attention to it.

"So, shall we get going?" Henry asked and the two women nodded before following him towards the castle. They walked through long corridors until they reached the dinner room. Henry opened it and politely waited for both women to enter before going into the room himself. A wooden table was filled with many types of food as three seats were placed. The three adults occupied the seats while the young boy sat on his father's lap.

"So, what did Portugal want?" Catherine curiously asked Henry as she recalled that the Queen and King had just come out from a meeting with the portuguese ambassador.

"Oh, they just wanted to talk about politics, nothing important." Upon seeing how nervous he looked, Catherine knew that he was lying.

"I know you're lying. So, what did they really want?" She asked him more firmly and he sighed, but remained silent. It was Diane who answered her question.

"Apparently they've gone mad, because they wanted to make an alliance by marrying the king's nephew to your bastard daughter." She scoffed after saying it and Catherine was deeply offended.

"Stop calling her that! You're the only crazy person here." She shot back and Diane's eyes widened.

"How dare you?" Henry sighed once again and he cast his son a helpless and desperate look.

"Ladies, please." He pleaded and all he got were frowns from the two women.

"Henry, please tell me that you didn't agree to this alliance!" Catherine screamed as she eyed him angrily. He gave her a small smile as he reached for her hand a squeezed it.

"Of course not, love! I told them it was nonsense and that my daughter deserves better. We don't need to make arrangements now, anyways." Catherine sighed in relief and she smiled at him.

"Thanks for that." She told him and the two lovers stared at each other, unaware of William curiously looking at them or Diane's frown. The sound of someone coughing brought everyone back to reality.

"Your majesties, may I serve the wine?" It was Nostradamus. Catherine had made sure that he was appointed as the wine server that night and Henry had agreed, having no idea of the true reasons for it.

"Oh, of course. Thank you." Henry politely said as the psychic moved towards Diane and served her first, as it was costume. The young queen didn't take notice of the yellow liquid he put in her cup as well as the other two. Dinner proceeded more calmly, the two women tried not to get into another argument and by the time they finished it, it was just as peaceful as the weather outside. Queen Diane and King Henry said their goodbyes as he was to accompany Catherine back to her chateau while Diane took William to bed.

The two lovers discussed plans for their child and themselves as he suggested that they took a trip to his palace on Lyon so that they could spend some time together. She agreed to the trip, though she was sure it wouldn't happen so soon. Far away from what they were, as Queen Diane got to her chambers, she felt like something was wrong. Her head started spinning and she felt light headed, so she sat down in bed. The feeling passed after a few minutes, so she put on her nightgown and got ready to sleep. However, as she did so, she was able to see the horrible bruise on her arm as it started hurting. That was when she asked a guard to help her get to the infirmary and another one to get the king. Something was definitely wrong.

November 17th of 1526...

Prince William's second birthday turned out not to be such a happy day. His mother had been dead for over a month now and France was still grieving the loss of the queen. King Henry was shocked to learn about his wife's death, but due to the impending birth of his second child, he felt it could've been much worse. He was in his room that night, as his son's birthday party would be starting in just a few hours.

A woman rest in the chair near his bed. With brown hair and eyes, she wasn't as pretty as other ladies, but she wasn't a lady anymore. She would be turning 38 soon, a age that meant oldness, since most people would die before they reached 40. Her name was Claude and she had been the Queen of France for 23 years.

"Mother, there's something I need to talk to you about." Henry said from his spot in the bed and she sighed.

"I already know what this is about, son. You desire to marry Catherine, now that your wife is dead." She said bluntly and sternly. He lowered his head.

"Yes, I do." She sighed. He was so young, he didn't know how things worked in the world. Sure, he had been the King of France for the past 3 years, but he was still so naive.

"As King of France, you should know that that isn't possible." She firmly said and he looked at her with sadness.

"Why isn't it? She's a noble now, she's just as rich as Diane was. And she's wonderful with politics and money. She would make a great queen." Claude stood up and walked towards him. She looked him straight in the eye.

"Henry, sweetheart, Catherine might be rich because you made her so, but people will never forget that she's just a maid who conquered the heart of the king. They will never accept her, if you marry her, there will be war, I'm telling you." He sighed.

"So what you're saying is that if I marry the woman I love, I'll be risking the entire future of my country?" He questioned and her look softened.

"You know that I want you to be happy, don't you?" She asked with a sad smile. "But we're royals, you're the King of France. Unfortunately, we can't follow our hearts and marry whom we desire." Henry sighed deeply and tried to hold back tears. This night wasn't going well like he had planned.

"Okay then. I'll keep Catherine as my mistress, so that I can at least have a relationship with her. And I won't turn back on my child, my sweet daughter who will be born in just a few short months." Claude nodded, although she didn't agree at all.

"You better pray that your new wife will approve of this relationship." A surprised expression appeared on his face at her words.

"New wife?" He questioned. He had barely lost his wife and if he would marry someone right away, it would have to be Catherine. With that not being possible, he had no plans on finding a second wife yet.

"I have already made the arrangements. You'll marry Princess Isabella of Sweden. I talked to her parents and they agreed that this union will be benefitial for both countries. However, he demanded that the wedding happens only after she turns 18, so we'll have to wait for a couple of years." Henry was shocked and angry.

"You made plans without consulting me?" He questioned and Claude raised her hand in front of her.

"This reaction of yours is precisely why I didn't tell you. You're still grieving over Diane while also in love with Catherine. You're not on your right mind to make any decisions. So, I've made them for you." He calmed down a bit after hearing this, knowing that she was right. There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Henry asked. The voice that spoke was of the one who held his heart, the one he wished to marry someday. And also the one who would be broken after he told her of the impossibility of that ever happening.

"It's me." Catherine replied and there was a scream and she laughed. "And Will." She added and Henry allowed them to come in. The young boy immediately ran to his father.

"Daddy! You'll never guess what Cathy and I did today." He excitedly said after Henry had picked him up and hugged him.

"What did you do, son?" He asked curiously.

"We picked flowers for my little sister." The young boy said excitedly. The three adults in the room laughed at his excitement.

"That's right. We walked all over the gardens and even found a squirrel, right, Will?" Catherine said and Henry gave her a loving look.

"Yes, a squirrel! Me like squirrels." Will said while jumping on Henry's lap. His attention was solely on Catherine, though. Claude cleared her throat.

"Okay, then. Now come on, sweetheart, why don't you tell me all about your adventure today?" She picked Will up and carried him outside while he told her what he had done with Catherine. An awkward silence filled he room once they were gone and the young couple was left alone.

"So, how did the conversation with your mother go?" Catherine curiously and hopefully asked. Henry sighed, knowing that this was going to be a long night.

March 8th of 1527...

Catherine Blanchet stood near the window of her room in her chateau. She wore a long red dress she loved so much and her hair was loose, falling into her shoulders like gold. It was almost sunset and she was staring at the wonderful view of the gardens. She thought about what she should do.

"Well, I'm never going to become queen." She muttered to herself sadly, angry that her plan hadn't worked out entirely. "But Henry loves me, so that's something good." She smiled while thinking of her lover, King Henry of France. A cry turned her attention back to the crib that had been set by her bed. She walked towards it slowly and smiled as she looked at the beautiful baby girl that lay there. Her green eyes were open and she stared curiously at her mother.

"My beautiful baby girl." Catherine picked her up gently and the little girl let out a laugh. "My sweet Flora. You have no idea how glad I am that you're here." She smiled at the baby and kissed her forehead. "I thought that you could change everything and give me a chance to be queen. That didn't work out so well." She frowned as she recalled the conversation she had had with Henry months ago, when he had told her that he couldn't marry her, as much as he wanted to, and that his mother had already arranged an union with some princess. She wasn't too happy about it, but she understood his decision. It was the best for France. Catherine scoffed.

"France. This stupid country that has taken so much from me. But I'm gonna get my revenge, I'll show them that they can't mess with the Mediccis." She sighed as she thought about her family and how much she missed them. She would never see them again. The baby girl cried and Catherine looked at her in a new light as she thought about it. "You know, maybe I am on the wrong track here. Maybe I was never meant to be queen." She stood up with the baby in her arms and went back to the window.

"This is perfect. If I can't be queen, then I'll make sure that you become one. You have royal blood, after all. Queen Flora. What do you think?" She asked the baby and the little girl gave another laugh. It was settled then. Flora would be queen, no matter what. But something had to be done first. "First, there's something that must be taken care of." Catherine told the little girl, her tone serious and sad. She never expected to do this, she knew what her parents would say if she did so. But it was necessary, it was the only way to ensure the safety of her daughter. "You're just like me, you're special. You have a gift, a magical gift. But we live in a world where people like us, if ever discovered, are killed. I can't let that happen, I have to protect you."

Catherine walked towards the armoire and she opened it. A small chest was there and she picked it up with one hand. She settled the baby back in her crib and opened the chest. Inside, there was a small bottle containing a white liquid.

"This, my dear Flora, is a potion made of white roses, which contain the most powerful energy there is. My mother once told me that there is a spell that can erase magic from a person. I think that, with this potion, I could cast that spell on an entire city. Yes, I'll rid Paris of magic, I'll rid you of it because it's dangerous, it could expose us. I know it's not right to take away such a beautiful and unique gift, but this is the best thing I can do for you, my sweet Flora." Catherine said and she picked a cup from her table, filled it with the potion and drank it.

"Now my powers will be maximized and I'll be able to place this spell all around Paris." She smiled as she grabbed a book from her pocket, a book that had been given by her grandmother before she passed away. It contained many useful spells, in italian of course, amongst them the one Catherine seeked. She read it a few times so that she could understand it, since it had been so long since she had last spoken italian. Once she was ready, she concentrated all of her magic and said the words that would change Flora's life forever.

"Eliminare la magia." A bright green light shot from her body and covered all of Paris, going undetected by it's non magical citizens. The light soon formed a sort of shield around the city that sucked all magic from it. Catherine smiled as she felt all of the magic of Paris being transferred to the shield and therefore, to her. The spell wouldn't affect her, she would be able to keep her powers. Once it was done, she looked back at the now sleeping baby that lay in her crib. "It's done. This is the beginning of a new era, where you'll become the Queen of France. Sleep well, my sweet flower. Soon we'll have everything we desire." She kissed the baby's forehead and went back to the window. She watched the sunset with a huge smile on her face. Everything was going according to plan.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

Diane: Queen of France, murdered by Catherine.

William: crown prince of France, Catherine's step son.

Claude: Former Queen of France and Will's grandmother. ( also the one that kept Henry and Catherine apart.)

Flora: King's illegitimate daughter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? Can you see how this story will tie to Winx?
> 
> What did you think of Diane's death, should I have kept her alive? She had to die, for story purposes, but I'd love hearing your opinions on it. Also, what did you think of Catherine being close to Will? And what about Henry's decision? I told you, this is a tragic story.
> 
> Okay, so next chapter it will be Flora's life. You'll get to see more of Will and there are some heartbreaking scenes coming, so be prepared.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flora was born in a complicated world where happiness isn't always possible. The young girl has to grow up while dealing with her parents' unusual relationship and the pressures of royal court. Thankfully Will is there for her and their bond is strengthened as time goes by. Will things ever turn for the best? Will Flora find happiness in France?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, there. As promised, here is chapter 14 and the 4 part of the Revelations. Here we take a look at Flora's childhood and the situation with Henry and Catherine continues and gets even more complicated. I'll be doing flashbacks in this chapter and the next, while the third one will be more about the ties to Winx and you'll get one of the answers you've been waiting for.

March 1st, 1530...

It was a day of joy, a day of celebration. Spring had just began and the gardens were beautifully filled with white roses and sunflowers and large trees surrounded the tent that had been built just outside the palace. Said tent hosted many guests coming from far away kingdoms, some even from the New World, as they called it. Each guest had come for a different reasons, they had different objectives, but there was one that outweighed them all: wedding of the King of France.

Said king stood now with his most trusted advisor, Charles Bonnaire, in a private room in the palace. Wearing a beautiful dark blue suit, the king looked even more handsome than ever, his green eyes glowing with excitement, as many would say. It wasn't the truth, though. The king couldn't be unhappier about this wedding.

The reason for his unhappiness was a lady, beautiful and clever. Her name was Catherine Blanchet and she was the one that held King Henry's heart. The two of them had been together for nearly 7 years now, but their relationship was incomplete. Due to Catherine not being royalty or nobility, the two of them could never get married, even though it was their desire. So he was forced to marry someone else, for the sake of his country.

"Oh, Henry, you look so handsome, dear." Said a woman who sat in a chair behind him. Her hair was dark brown and she had tanned skin and big brown eyes. Claude was her name and, for over 20 years, she had been the Queen of France. Henry smiled at his mother as Charles adjusted his tie.

"There, now you look perfect, your majesty." Charles said and Henry gave him a smile too.

"Merci, mon ami. (Thanks, my friend)." Both hugged quickly and soon the door to the private room was opened. Henry turned away from the hug as he wondered who dared to enter the king's private chambers, but his worried expression turned into a smile once he saw who was at the door.

"Daddy!" The little girl with tanned skin and green eyes screamed as she ran towards him. He knelt on the ground and scooped her up in his arms.

"Hey,princess." He gently said as he gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Where's your mamma?" He asked the little girl as he noticed she had come alone. The answer to his question came in the form of a desperate scream coming from the distance.

"Flora? Where are you?" Catherine screamed as she barged into the room. A relieved expression came to her face once she noticed that the little girl was safely resting in her father's arms.

"Looks like you're not so good at controlling your child, Catherine." Claude said in a cold tone as she slowly stood up from her chair. Both women shared a look of despise as Catherine greeted her.

"Good morning, your majesty." She bowed while hatred filled her for the queen who had separated her from Henry and made it impossible for them to be together."Yes, you know how children are. Always running." She said as she cast her daughter a severe look. Flora lowered her head in shame, but then a bright smile came upon her face.

"Daddy, today is a very special day. Guess why, guess!" She insisted and Henry pretended to be in thought.

"Hmmm. Let me see. Is it the anniversary of the battle of Crecy?" He asked and Flora frowned and shook her head.

"No, daddy! That's only in many months." She complained and then crossed her arms on her chest as a sad look came to her face. "Did you forget?" She asked and then pulled her puppy dog eyes that no one could say no to.

"Of course I didn't forget your birthday, princess!" Henry kissed her forehead again and then he walked towards the chair he had previously sat. He picked up a small gift that was wrapped in green and pink, Flora's favorite colors. "Here, happy birthday!" He gave it to the little girl and she eagerly tried to pull off the wrapping paper.

"Flora, aren't you forgetting something?" Catherine asked as she approached the two. The little girl immediately stopped messing with her present and gave her father a smile.

"Thank you for giving me a present, daddy." She said politely and rather formally for a three years old. Henry smiled back at her as he picked the present from her small hands.

"No problem, sweetheart. Here, let me open it for you." He easily discharged the wrapping paper and a small box was revealed. He opened it to reveal a small pendant with a red heart in the middle.

"Henry, that's beautiful." Catherine smiled at him and he smiled back. There was a certain tension between them, but their smiles were real, as well as their love. But their love story wasn't a happy one, specially for Catherine, but she knew that the most important thing right now was making sure that her daughter grew up with the best and one day became the queen of France as she deserved.

"That's certainly a fine gift, sir." Mr. Bonnaire said from behind them while Flora played with the pendant with her small hands.

"Thanks,man. Only the best for my princess." Henry responded and then he threw Flora up in the air and caught her as the little girl laughed. Just then the door was once again opened and a young boy came in, followed by a maid.

"Will!" The little girl excitedly screamed and she jumped from her father's arms and ran to him for a hug. He laughed at her excitement and hugged her back. The two of them were the best of friends and Catherine was always good to him too. Henry was happy that the little boy still had a mother like figure. Of course, he didn't know that the reason behind Catherine's kindness was guilt from murdering Will's mother.

"Hey, there, Flo." Will greeted and then turned back to his father. "Daddy, the ceremony is about to start." The boy said and Henry gave him a smile.

"Thanks for letting me know, son. Now I'd better go. You stay here with Catherine, and be good." He told Will and gave him a small hug before he handed Flora back to Catherine and walked out of the tent. Claude and Mr. Bonnaire followed him.

"I guess we better get going too." Catherine said and, being so young, the two other occupants of the room missed the sadness in her tone. After all, the day that the man you love marries another ain't a happy one. She took the boy's hand and the three of them walked out of the small room and into the gardens. Soon they were on the tent where all the guests were reunited.

Looks were given as Catherine walked towards the front seats with the two children and she ignored them. As she passed by her good friend, Leonardo, she smiled and he smiled back. Flora waved at him from her mother's lap and the young boy just looked. As they sat in their assigned seats, they were able to see a woman with fair skin, red hair and blue eyes that were concealed by the white veil. Her name was Princess Isabella and today she would become the next queen of France and the wife of King Henry.

It would be easy enough for Catherine to hate her, considering she was marrying the man she loved, but due to her sweet and gentle personality, no one was able to hate Princess Isabella. She was one of the only people on the world who held no grudges, always gave a smile and was ready to comfort anyone. Unlike anyone would have expected, she had accepted Catherine and Henry's relationship and understood that the two lovers wished to be together. Knowing what it was like to watch the one you love marry someone else, she had promised to give the couple their space and had affirmed that her marriage to Henry was simply business.

However, that didn't mean that there was no love between them. Henry did in fact like Isabella, they had become friends over the few months since she had come to France and he hoped that they would remain like that. Of course, there were some things they would have to do that required something more than friendship, like making heirs, but the two were in no rush. Isabella also hoped that they could at least be friends and she had also made friendship with Flora and Will, so the three adults were hoping that things wouldn't be terrible, or at least better than with the later queen.

Soon, music started playing, performed by the young artist, Nicolas Gombert and the groom came. It was time for a royal wedding.

May, 23th of 1532...

A young girl of 5 years old ran around the palace, followed by a young boy of almost 8 years old. Both laughed as they played in the beautiful gardens that were filled with white roses.

"Come on, Will! Try and catch me!" The young girl laughed as the boy, Will, attempted to get closer to her. She was much too fast for him and soon he tripped on a tree branch and fell to the ground. The girl's expression turned to horror as she ran towards him. "God, Will, are you okay?" She asked as she kneeled by his side. The young boy held his hurting knee and she saw a bit of blood.

"I'm fine, Flo." He said and he smiled at her before poking her in the shoulder."Got you." He laughed at the frown on her face after he took her by surprise.

"No fair! You cheated!" She complained as she crossed her arms, a sign that she was upset.

"No, I didn't. You're the one that came after me." Will argued and before she could come up with a response, two people were seen coming towards them and the children looked at them. Catherine and Henry talked quietly as they approached the children. Flora and Will wondered what they were discussing, but weren't too interested.

"My god, William. What happened to you?" Henry asked once he noticed that Will was covered in dirt and some blood. The young boy smiled sheepishly at his father.

"I fell, when we were playing, daddy. It's no big deal." He said once Henry gave him a worried look.

"I think it's a very big deal. Because Will tripped on a branch, he wasn't looking where he was going." Flora said seriously and Will glared at her.

"Well, we'll have to work on your concentration, my boy. But let's leave that for later. Right now we have some news to share with you two." Henry said and he and Catherine put a towel on the grass and sat down. Flora immediately sat on her mother's lap while Will sat by their side. Everyone stared patiently at Henry and he cleared his throat before speaking. "Well, the good news I have, my children is that you'll be gaining a little brother or sister soon." Both children stared at confusingly.

"I don't understand, daddy." Flora told her father and he thought of another way to say it.

"Do you remember when the king and queen from Sweden with baby Laura, honey?" Catherine asked the little girl and she nodded. "Well, mommy and daddy are going to have a baby just like her." Flora smiled as she recalled how she had loved playing with baby Laura, Queen Isabella's niece.

"So I can play with that baby too?" She asked and both her parents laughed.

"Of course, princess." Henry told her. "Though it will take a while for it to get here." Flora frowned at those news, wanting to play with the baby sooner. Just then the great clock ticked, meaning it was already 10 am. "Come on now, Will. It's time for your sword fighting lesson." He told the young boy and both said goodbye to the ladies before walking away.

"So, what do you want to do now, Flora?" Catherine asked the young girl, who looked around the place for something to do.

"I know, I know! I want to pick flowers near the river." A smile lightened her face as she pointed towards the river near the gardens. Catherine laughed, already knowing that she would choose this activity before she stood up and took Flora's hand. They walked along the river as Flora picked many flowers and put them in the small basket Catherine had brought. Soon it was filled with many different flowers and so they decided to rest for a bit. As they sat near the river, with the sun warming them up and a light breeze, it was perfect.

"Mamma, can you tell me a story?" Flora asked as she sat in her mother's lap. Stories were her favorite thing, after spending time in the gardens. Catherine was sure that she would be a reader when she grew up,but she was too young to be reading alone. Catherine nodded her head as she thought of a good story. Then her eyes settled on a flower in the basket and her mind was filled with memories. She knew then exactly what to tell the expectant little girl.

"Do you see this flower, dear?" Catherine picked up the flower, a white rose, and showed it to Flora.

"Yes, mamma. It's beautiful." The little girl said.

"Do you know who used to love this flower?" Flora shook her head. "Your grandma. She loved white roses so much that she demanded that they were the only flowers in the house. All others were prohibited." Catherine laughed as she recalled how her mother would get mad if someone brought any other flower to their home.

"My grandma loved flowers too?" Flora curiously asked, liking to be given some information on her family, since her mother rarely talked about them. Catherine nodded and the little girl smiled brightly. "So I guess this is my favorite flower now, just like grandma. And I'm going to decorate my house with them and I'll have them at my wedding." Catherine laughed at the comment and hugged her daughter close.

" Back home we used to have a field filled with white roses and I would play everyday there with Uncle Alex." Tears came to her face as she remembered her dear brother, who had died together with the rest of the family. He had been just a child, barely 8 years old, when their home had been destroyed.

"Please, mamma, don't cry." The little girl pleaded as she gave her mother her famous puppy dog eyes.

"I'm okay, honey. I just miss them." And she did, more than anything. She had thought that after avenging her family, 7 years ago, it wouldn't hurt as much, but it did. It hurt more each day and her rage also grew. But she kept it to herself, tried not to let her emotions get the best of her. She knew that she needed to be there for her daughter. Besides, her life had improved since then. Though her relationship with Henry hadn't worked as they had wished, they were still together and in love. There was also Queen Isabella, who had turned out to be a comprehensive friend that Catherine had never imagined she'd have. And she was good to Flora too, always taking care of her and Will when

"Mamma, where is Uncle Alex? I wanna play with him too!" The little girl pleaded and Catherine was brought back to reality. She gave her daughter a sad smile.

"Remember what I told you the last time you asked?" Flora shook her head. "He's in heaven, where everybody is happy and safe." Flora looked in thought for a second before she spoke again.

"Why don't we ever visit him?" Catherine knew this question was coming.

"Because, we can only go to Heaven after we've lived our lives and you haven't even started on yours. You also have to be good and kind, like Queen Isabella. Remember what the priest said, only good people go to Heaven." Flora nodded her head as she recalled what the priest had told them during the last time they had gone to church.

"Okay, I understand. Now can you tell me more about grandma and Uncle Alex?" Flora asked and, for the next few hours, Catherine told many stories about her family with a smile as she recalled the people who had built her. For once, revenge was far from her mind, only the happiness of remembering the good times.

October, 27th of 1532...

Along the streets of Paris, a woman with curly blonde hair walked with a child holding her hand as a man accompanied them. Both were dressed in dark red, the woman in a dress that didn't attempt to hide her huge stomach. They were happily chatting as they made their to Notre-Dame church, the main church in Paris.

"Welcome, ladies." A priest greeted them by the entrance and both curtsied. He nodded his head and let them in.

"Mamma, where shall we sit?" Flora asked and Catherine looked around for a while before she spotted a place in the second row.

"Come on, flower." Catherine picked her up with difficulty and they managed to cross the crowd and get to the seats. The man, Leonardo da Vinci, followed them and attracted many looks as he was a famous painter.

As she watched the alter with the statue of Jesus, Catherine remembered the conversation she had had with Henry, her lover, a week before. Due to the rise of the presence of protestants in the city, he had asked her not to go to this church anymore. She had refused, liking this church and claiming that she doubted that the protestants would interfere much. She had no idea that a war was starting on France, a war caused by England, where war between catholics and protestants was still going on. But neither Catherine nor Henry knew that. Only one person knew that and he was far away at the moment, too far to warn them about what would happen in just a few minutes.

"What's, on your mind, Catherine?" Leonardo asked as he noticed her faraway look.

"I'm just thinking about.. the protestants." Catherine lowered her voice at the last words.

"Please, tell me that you're not wondering whether they might be right!" Leonardo asked exasperatedly and Catherine vigorously shook her head.

"No, of course not. I'm just wondering if they might be a threat. What do you think?" He didn't have time to answer for the priest started conducting their session. Before he could say much, there was an explosion coming from outside and everyone started to panick. Catherine and Leonardo shared a worried look as he picked Flora up and they ran. In front of the church, they could see that the statue that used to be in the center of the park was gone and its ruins were scattered around the place. No one was in sight to be blamed for the crime.

"What the hell?" A woman near them screamed and suddenly, a second explosion occurred and all those who stood in front of the church were thrown back. Catherine hit one of the pillars while Leonardo was lucky to fall on the grass, with Flora on top of him.

"Mamma!" The little girl screamed in despair. Both stood up as she ran towards her mother. Catherine was barely conscious by then, but she looked at them, terrified.

"The baby." She whispered as her hand rested on her stomach. Then she fell unconscious and Flora screamed again.

"Come on, little one, we've got to take your mother back to the palace." Leonardo said as he picked Catherine up and looked around for a carriage.

"This is only the beginning. Soon all of Paris will feel our rage and our power." Screamed a man Leonardo recognized as Louis Berquin, leader of the protestants of Paris. More members appeared and started causing trouble, one of them burnt down the church and Leonardo started getting desperate. Soon he spotted a carriage and ran toward it, wanting to get Catherine and Flora to safety.

By the time they got to the palace, an anxious looking Henry came to greet them, followed by Isabella and William. "Oh, god!" Screamed the queen as she stared at Catherine in disbelief. She put a hand on her heart and prayed that the other woman was alright.

"Is she..." Henry found himself unable to finish the phrase.

"She's still alive, but she needs medical help, immediately." Leonardo stated and Henry nodded his head.

"Of course, of course." Then his eyes turned to the scared little girl by Leonardo's side. "Flora, my princess, don't worry now, alright? Your mamma is gonna be just fine. Can you be good for Queen Isabella as I go get her help?" Flora obediently nodded her head and Henry hugged her and kissed her forehead before leaving Will and Flora with Isabella.

"Come here, dear." The queen said as she picked Flora up. She lead Will and her to the field of white roses located in the palace gardens and they stayed there for a few hours, talking and telling stories before Henry came to find them again. The grim look on his face when he came wasn't promising.

"How's Catherine?" Isabella asked as she was braiding Flora's hair. Everyone stared at the king and he let out a sad sigh.

"She's alright, but the baby..." He paused and looked like he was about to cry.

"I'm so sorry, Henry." The queen gently said as she put her hand on his arm and gave him an understanding look. He smiled at her, glad to have someone like her by his side.

"Where's the baby?" Flora asked and Will stared at his father with the same confused expression.

"Your sister, well she... She's gone to heaven." Henry struggled to tell his children the sad truth. Their faces fell as they understood what had happened.

" So she's with Uncle Alex." Flora said and she smiled. "At least she'll be happy there. But I'll miss her." Henry smiled at the little girl's positive thinking.

"We'll all miss her, princess." Henry said and him and Flora shared a tight hug before everyone went back to the palace because it was already night.

"Mamma!" The little girl screamed as they reached Catherine's room. Flora ran to her mother's bed and Catherine smiled before picking her up and giving her a tight hug.

"Hey, my sweet flower." Catherine said tiredly.

"Mamma, are you okay?" Flora asked worriedly upon seeing how pale and tired she looked.

"I'm alright, sweetheart. I'm just sad that we lost your sister." She said and her hands unconsciously went to her stomach as she attempted to hold back tears. Flora gave her a sad smile.

"At least she's happy now, in heaven." Catherine's smiled again.

"I'm sure she is. My little Rose. One day we'll find her and we'll all be happy together. Though now we must live our lives here." The next few minutes were passed in silence as each person was lost in their own thoughts. Then, the doctor kicked everyone out of the room, claiming Catherine needed time to rest, and Isabella took Flora and Will to his room so the little girl wouldn't have to be alone. Upon hearing protests of the two children against going to sleep, she smiled at them before sitting down in the couch. Flora climbed her lap and Will sat by her side as she sang to them until they fell asleep.

Henry left to meet up with the spanish ambassador as he sought to make an alliance with Spain against the protestants. He had thought of marrying off Rose, to the Holy-Roman emperor, Charles V's only son, Philip II. However, with Rose dead, he would have to find another way. He was stopped by a guard before he reached his office.

"What's going on?" He asked the guard and he was told that he had a surprise visit. Curious, the king followed the guard to the throne room. Upon entering it, he saw a woman with brown hair and eyes. She twas sipping her drink, but upon seeing him, she smiled brightly and walked towards him. The two shared a hug and he looked at her with surprise.

"Marie de Guise. I didn't expect to find you here." He told her and her face fell as she recalled the circumstances that had brought her there.

"Neither did I, at least not for a few more years, but things have changed." She told him gravely and he looked at her in concern.

"Is something wrong?" He feared it might have something to do with the alliance he had made with her country, Scotland. After England had risen from the ashes of the civil war, it became dangerous for all of Europe, so the catholic countries had been making alliances to strengthen their power. France and Scotland had propose an arranged marriage between the two heirs to the throne: prince William of France and Mary Stuart, queen of Scotland and the only child of the deceased James V.

"Nothing related to the wedding, so don't worry." Marie quickly said and Henry was relieved that their alliance was still going on.

"What's it about, then? Has England done something?" She smiled for a bit.

"Very clever, King Henry. You guessed it just right. England has sent out an attack on Mary, my poor little girl." He gave her a sympathetic look before worriedly asking.

"Is she alright?" Marie gave him a reassuring smile.

"She's fine, we saw it coming, so we ran away before they could do much damage. But now we know it's not safe for Mary in Scotland, the english won't rest until they've killed her." Henry was confused as to why she had come here.

"So have you come here to tell me she will be hiding in France?" He questioned her before adding."That would not be a problem, as future queen, Mary's welcome to stay here for as long as she wishes." Marie shook her head.

"No, even here in France it's not safe for her. She will be in a safe place until she reaches the age of 16, which is when we agreed that the marriage will take place." Henry nodded his head, understanding her decision.

"All right, then. Give Mary my best wishes." He told her and she smiled at him.

"I will. You do the same for Queen Isabella and your son." They said their goodbyes and she went to the entrance while Henry headed for his office. He wondered what he would do to make sure that the alliance with Spain worked, seeming as it was ten times more important now.

December 24th of 1535...

In the palace of Paris, a family was reunited in the throne room. It was no ordinary family, different from most peasant ones. King Henry sat in the throne with his queen, Isabella, by his side. Both had great smiles on their faces as they watched the two excited children open their christmas presents. Another woman sat by the two little ones, holding in her lap the girl with tanned skin and emerald eyes.

"Daddy, look!" She screamed excitedly as she showed Henry a small puppy that had come out of one of the boxes. She held him in her arms and the puppy licked her cheeks while she laughed.

"Is that a bear?" The young boy with blonde hair and brown eyes asked as he stared at the animal in confusion.

"Yes, Will, that's right. It's a bear and you're a cat." The little girl told him while rolling her eyes. The young boy of 11 years old stuck his tongue at her.

"William!" He bowed down in shame as his father firmly called him.

"Ah, Henry, let him. They're just children afterall." Queen Isabella told her husband gently as she smiled warmly at the young boy.

"Thanks, queen Isa." He smiled at her before his attention went back to the small creature in the little girl's arms. "But, seriously, what is that?" The three adults laughed.

"It's a puppy. And a really cute one." The little girl said while looking at the puppy. It barked and she laughed. " Hello there, mister puppy. I am Flora." The puppy barked again and Will came closer to her and stared at the animal.

"It's cute, though not as much as cats. " He told her and Flora feigned a horrified expression.

"How dare you! You're hurting his feelings." Flora said and the puppy cried as if he was truly hurt by Will's words.

"Okay, sorry mister puppy. You're adorable and I like you." The young boy apologized and Flora's smile came back.

"Now that's better." She told Will and the puppy happily barked.

"May I hold him?" Will asked and she nodded before handing him the little dog. Before Will could take it in his arms, it jumped on him and knocked him to the ground. He laughed in delight as the puppy kept licking his face.

"Did you like your present, sweetheart?" Henry asked the laughing girl and she nodded.

"I loved it, daddy. And I have a feeling he will become great friends with Will." Flora told her father. He smiled at her before standing up from the throne.

"That's great. Now, come with me, princess. I have something to show you." He said and the little girl stood up while giving him a curious look. The puppy left Will and ran to her.

"I think it wants to come as well." She smiled at the small creature as it barked and waved its tail.

"Here, I'll take it with us." Catherine said and she picked up the small animal who settled himself on her arms.

"I want to come too. Can I, daddy?" Will asked and Henry nodded. The five left the throne room and walked along the corridors of the castle, all decorated in Christmas style, and went to another room. Before opening it, Henry told Catherine to blindfold Flora so that it could be a surprise. The little girl was jumping with excitement as she wondered what the surprise was. They entered the room with Flora in Catherine's arms as the puppy was given to Will.

"Okay, are you ready, princess?" Henry asked and Flora eagerly nodded.

"Yes, I wanna see the surprise." She excitedly said and Catherine took off her blindfold. The little girl looked around at the huge room filled with books of all sizes and subjects. She stared in awe at them and then her look went back to her father.

"This is the library!" She said excitedly and Henry nodded.

"Yes. I know how much you love hearing stories, so I thought you might like it. There are books about everything here." Flora smiled brightly at him.

"Thank you, daddy. I already love it! I'm going to read every book we have here!" She told him even more excited and he laughed.

"Easy there, sweetheart. First you have to finish learning how to read and write. You're almost finished with your lessons, just a few more months." Flora wasn't let down by her mother's words.

"Then I will finish it. But in the meantime, can you read to me, mommy?" Catherine smiled brightly before kneeling to her weight.

"Of course, my flower. I'll read to you every day, I promise." She told Flora and the little girl smiled back at her before they hugged.

"I can read for you too, Flo. I am a reading expert." Will proudly said and Flora laughed.

"Thanks, Will. But I think that you have to become an animal expert first." She told him and he didn't frown this time, instead he laughed with her.

"You're right. Queen Isa can help us with that, she knows all about animals." He said while looking at his step-mother.

"Of course, I'd love to teach you more about animals. There are so many interesting creatures on Earth, some we don't even know that were found in the New World." She started telling them and the two children moved closer. Henry and Catherine joined some chairs together and Isabella sat on one of them while Henry and Will sat on two more and Catherine sat with Flora on her lap. For the next few hours, they listened intently as the queen told them all about the mysterious creatures that lived on Earth.

IMPORTANT CHARACTERS:

Henry:Flora's father and the king of France. Father of William and Flora. Married to Queen Isabella.

William: Flora's older brother.

Charles Bonnaire: king's advisor.

Queen Isabella: Henry's second wife and William and Flora's stepmother.

Rose:Flora's would be younger sister.

Charles V:grandson of the great Isabel of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon. Leader of Spain and Portugal + Holy Roman Emperor. This guy won't be that important to ths story, but he's a crucial historical character in Spanish history. Like, at age 20, he owned half of the world, you can search a map to see it.

Marie de Guise: widow of James V, king of Scotland.

Mary Stuart: queen of Scotland, Will's fiancée.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, what did you think? Was the relationship between Catherine and Queen Isabella too unrealistic? I really wanted to make Isabella a kind person who understood Henry and Catherine's love, so she wouldn't be another Diane. She's also the person who'll make Flora the kind hearted and sweet fairy she is in Winx.
> 
> What about the Will and Flora's scenes, did you enjoy them? And the scene with Catherine and Flora in the gardens? I almost cried while writing that one, it's so touching and we get to see a more emotional side of Catherine. Do you understand now why white roses are so important? Also, what did you think about Henry and Flora's relationship?
> 
> Have you ever heard of Mary Stuart? She'll be an important character in this story, since she's Will's fiancée.


	15. Losses and Gains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Flora enters her teenage years, everything begins to change. She's forced to go through the loss of loved ones and an alliance that could ruin her life. Thankfully the arrival of potential friends might be her one chance at happiness before the worse comes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello people. I'm back with another chapter. I'll let you know that I already have 29 written and I'll be posting them from time to time. A few comments would be helpful.   
> Ah, one important thing: The Winx have no idea of anything yet, these memories are only being revealed to you. I'm giving you the backstory, not them. They'll find out the truth somewhere in the next few chapters.
> 
> Now, here we'll speed up things a bit, we'll have some memories of Flora's adolescence years and new characters are coming, some very important to this story. I can't wait for you to see the part where the Winx will meet some of this characters, it will be awesome.
> 
> This story's turning out to be one pregnancy and one death per chapter. It's so weird and unplanned. So I'll warn you that there are more deaths to come. As I've said many times, this story is more of a tragedy. Sometimes I hate myself for putting you through this, but what can you do, some people have to die for the story to work.

June 26th of 1541...

In the palace of Paris, joy took over the royal family. It was a hot day, the sun was shining and there were no clouds on the sky. It was perfect, everything was perfect. In the queen's chambers, four people reunited to share this special day. King Henry sat by his wife's side as he stared at the small child in her arms. Catherine Blanchet and her daughter, Flora, stood near them as they watched the scene with smiles, though Catherine's was rather sad and bittersweet. Prince William sat on the other side of the queen as he looked at the newborn.

"She's so beautiful." Henry commented as he stared at the little girl with green eyes, fair skin and a small red head.

"Isn't she? The greatest gift I could have asked for." Queen Isabella told him with a smile and she kissed the baby's forehead.

"If I may say, she's inherited your enchanting beauty, Queen Isabella." Catherine said and the two women shared a smile. Against all odds, they were friends and that friendship had become stronger over the years, Even now, when Isabella held the child of the man Catherine loved, there was no negative energy between them. They both understood each other, understood what the other was going through and that's why Isabella had allowed Catherine to stay in her relationship with Henry and tried her best to make sure Flora was a part of their family. Because they were a family, even if not an ordinary one.

"Thank you. I trust that soon you will be graced with another child of your own." Catherine's smile widened, though she felt like dying inside. Another child. After the death of her dear Rose, she had wanted another child so desperately, needing someone to fill the gap in her heart from that loss just like Flora had filled the one left because of the death of Catherine's parents and younger brother.

"I hope not too soon, I don't think I can handle another little one, after all the trouble we had with these two." Henry joked while pointing at his two children and the three adults laughed.

"Hey, I take offence." Flora complained jokingly.

"I wasn't talking about you, princess, you're a perfect lady. Now, Will, he was the one who drove me crazy." Henry said and Will frowned while Flora laughed.

"Dad! I so did not." He crossed his arms over his chest and Flora laughed even harder.

"Just admit it, Will, you were a difficult one. That's okay, there are some people who are harder than others." Flora tried to soothe him and failed.

"I wasn't difficult. Are you forgetting who almost killed me once?" He asked the three adults in the room and it was Flora's turn to frown.

"Hey, that wasn't my fault! You didn't tell me that those swords were real." She complained and Will just shrugged his shoulders.

"Okay, you two, that's enough." Henry said firmly before the argument could go any further. Then he turned back to his wife. "I must go now to make the arrangements for our trip to England. Are you sure you'll be okay to go?" Queen Isabella nodded.

"I'm sure I will. This is an important trip, we must both go there." She told him in a tone that left no room for discussions.

"That's right, I had almost forgotten about your trip. Are you sure that it will work, I mean, after we made that alliance with Scotland, I don't think they'll be very willing to make peace with France." Catherine asked the two rulers. Henry gave her a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure it will work just fine, love. After I offer to mary Flora to Henry Carey, nephew of the king, an alliance will be made. We might have to end the one with Scotland, though." Henry said and he turned to his younger daughter. She hadn't agreed to that marriage, but she didn't really have a choice. He missed the frown on Catherine's face. This wasn't a part of her plan, Flora needed to marry a prince, she deserved it. Catherine wished that this alliance with England wouldn't work, having no idea of the terrible consequences her wish would cause.

"That's okay, daddy, just remember the agreement we made." Flora told her father firmly and Henry nodded.

"I promise you that if this alliance doesn't work, you'll be free to chose who you want to marry and when. You're not really a princess, so you shouldn't be forced into an arranged marriage. Though you do understand how important this one is, right?" He questioned.

"Yes, I do." Flora obediently said. Henry smiled at her before kissing her forehead and leaving the room.

"Okay, now I'm going to change into something more comfortable. William, can you hold your sister for a second?" Queen Isabella broke the silence that was installed after Henry's departure.

"Me? Why?" Will asked her as he looked around panicky and nervously. Flora laughed before she approached the queen.

"I don't think Will's ready for that yet, may I take her instead?" She gently asked Isabella, who gave her a bright smile before handing her the baby. Flora swifted her so she could be more comfortable and stared lovingly at the little girl. "Hello, Claude. I'm your big sister." She cooed the little girl, who laughed. Queen Isabella smiled at them.

"I believe she's in good hands. I'll be back shortly." With that she was gone. Catherine soon excused herself and Will and Flora were left alone with baby Claude.

"You know, she's kinda cute." Will said as he stared at the baby.

"Isn't she?"Flora said while smiling at her. Claude laughed once again. "And she's the most adorable baby!" Will nodded.

"Yep. I bet when you have your own children, they'll be just as cute." Flora frowned.

"I sure hope I won't be having them with my fiancée at the moment. He's really ugly." Flora recalled the picture she had seen of her future husband.

"Yep, he's horrible, which is strange because his parents aren't so ugly. At least my fiancée's very cute." Will said and Flora nodded.

"Mary's pretty. I hope she can come here soon, I can't wait to meet her." Flora told him and Will excitedly looked at her.

"Yeah, me too. Though I'm not so excited about getting married." Neither of them were. After all, who would be, at ages 14 and 16?

"No, please, don't cry." Flora attempted to calm down the crying baby, unsuccessfully. By the time Queen Isabella came back, the little girl hadn't stopped and she only did so after they had dinner. Everyone sighed in relief once they saw baby Claude sleeping later that night and wondered why she had been crying so hard. hough. Only Nostradamus knew the reason for the child's sadness.

"It's amazing, almost as if she knows about her future." Nostradamus whispered to himself as he sat in the gardens and watched the family having dinner. "But maybe my vision is wrong, maybe no harm will come to her. After all, I've been wrong before." Though he had been able to keep his magic, a courtesy from Catherine, he felt like his powers weren't so right anymore. After all, he had seen Flora's death a year previous and she was still alive and well. So he decided not to tell Catherine of his concerns, so that she wouldn't worry. That turned out to be a fatal mistake.

July 10th of 1541...

Catherine, Flora and Will anxiously awaited the arrival of king Henry and Queen Isabella from England. It had been a week since the couple had gone there to attempt to make an alliance and there had been no news of them. Princess Claude lay in Catherine's arms and she kept moving around, as if she was just as anxious for the couple's return as the others.

"Why aren't they here yet?" A nervous Flora asked her mother as she stared at the giant clock behind them. It read 12:05, five minutes after the king was supposed to arrive.

"I don't know, Flora. I'm sure they'll get here soon." Catherine answered just as nervously. Claude cried out and she gave the baby girl a sad look. "For her sake, I hope they do." Will and Flora shared a look. It wasn't often that they saw Catherine so nervous and anxious, she was usually calm and collected.

"Yeah, they're only five minutes late, there's no need to be worried, Flo." Will said and he cast his younger sister a reassuring smile.

"Thanks, Will. Hey, why don't we do something to occupy our time?" The green eyed girl suggested.

"That's a good idea. What should we do?" Flora smiled as she already knew what she wanted to do.

"How about a race till the river?" She asked Will with a smirk, knowing that he wouldn't be able to turn down a challenge. The young boy smirked back.

"Okay, be ready to eat my dust." He said and Catherine gave them a stern look.

"Come on, you two, you're not children anymore. Besides, Flora, you'll get your dress dirty." She told the young girl firmly and Flora gave her her best innocent look.

"Mother, please. I'll be very careful, I promise." Catherine sighed, knowing it would be no harm for them to play for a bit.

"Okay, then. You'll meet us back in the throne room later, okay?" The two nodded and ran off as Catherine smiled. She decided that she'd better find something to do as well, so she went back to her chateau and picked a book before heading back to the gardens. Sitting down near the great oak tree, Catherine started reading to the small child, attempting to distract herself.

Soon there was the sound of trumpets and horses as she assumed that they had returned from their trip. She stood up and walked towards the entrance of the palace. What awaited her was a surprise and not a good one. Later Catherine would think about how cruel faith can be and how much more she would have to lose.

"Oh, yeah! I win!" An excited Flora screamed as she reached the river. Will sighed as he stopped a few feet before the river.

"It's no fair, you cheated!" He screamed and Flora raised her eyebrows.

"And how exactly did I cheat?" She questioned and Will gave up under her stare.

"I don't know, but you always cheat." Flora's expression turned to anger as she crossed her arms.

"I so did not." She said firmly and Will shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever. Let's just do something else then." That was when Flora notice that her dress was covered in mud and her eyes went wide.

"Oh, god. Mother's gonna kill me!" She said exasperatedly and Will looked confused for a second before he saw what she was looking at.

"Wow, you are screwed." He told her and Flora smiled, much to his surprise.

"Not exactly. Mother always tells me that we have to dress our best, so she won't complain if I change clothes because I don't think this dress is appropriate." Will raised his eyebrows.

"Do you really think she'll buy that?" He questioned and Flora nodded eagerly.

"Yep. After all, she's taught me all about manners and etiquette. Now come." She took his hand and started dragging him to her chateau.

"Hey! Why do I have to come?" Will questioned with a frow.

"Cause I need help with choosing my dress." Flora told him firmly and he gave her a look that she ignored. "Come on, I know that you don't like these kind of things, but you're my best friend, so it's your duty to help me." Will was unconvinced by that, so she had to give him her famous puppy eyes to convince him.

About an hour later the two of them reached the throne room, Flora now wearing a green dress instead of the red one Catherine had chosen. The blonde woman barely noticed it, though, her attention was fully concentrated on King Henry as he sat in his throne. Will and Flora were scared once they saw him, because he was doing something a king never did: crying. He cried desperately, but lowly, as Catherine had her arms wrapped around him. She was crying a bit herself and Flora was even more surprised for she had never seen her mother cry, well except for when they had lost Rose.

"Father?" Will asked and the couple turned back to look at them. Henry quickly dried his tears and attempted to form a smile for his son.

"William. I'm glad to see you."Will was extremely confused as Henry slowly stood up and gave him a hug.

"I'm glad to see you too,but what's going on?" The young prince questioned as he stared at his father worriedly.

"Is there something wrong?" Flora asked both her parents and Catherine sent her a sad look.

"Well, yes, there is something wrong." Henry stared saying and he led the two teens to another room, the library that Flora loved so much. They sat down as Henry and Catherine said nothing while Flora and Will waited. It was the blonde woman who broke the silence.

"You see, my sweet Flora, your father and I have terrible news." She said and Flora's face turned to horror. What could have happened.

"Is it about my marriage?" The young girl questioned, recalling the agreement she had made with her father.

"There is no marriage, princess. There is no way in hell that I'm sending you to marry anyone related to that monster." Henry said, anger and despair showing on his face. Will was extremely concerned about his father's mental state.

"Now, father, when you say monster, are you referring to the king of England?" The young boy questioned, wanting to get he details before he could attempt to comfort him. Henry nodded his head vigorously.

"He's a monster, worse than any other. He should be in hell, where he belongs." Flora was surprised to hear her father speaking like that about someone.

"Why do you speak of him in that way, father? What did he do?" Catherine was the one who answered the question.

"He did the unthinkable. Your father went there to attempt to make peace with those cold hearted protestants, but instead of accepting our offer, they attacked with no reason!" Catherine angrily said and the two teens widened their eyes in surprise.

"Attacked? The english attacked you, father?" Will asked, even more worried.

"They sent their guards at us minutes after we got there. It was a miracle that I came out alive, there were so many of them. They didn't even listen to my proposal." Henry told them and Flora was filled with fear as she realized that there was something missing.

"What about Queen Isa, did they hurt her?" She questioned and Will was curious too.

"Where is she, by the way? Why isn't she here?" The look shared between Henry and Catherine was enough to tell them what had happened.

"She's dead, they killed her. They were coming at me, but she jumped and took the hit instead. Why does she always have to be so selfless?" Henry started crying again and Flora's heart hurt for her father. She climbed out of her chair and sat on his lap as she hugged him. Catherine and Will soon joined them as the broken family tried to strengthen themselves as they cried for their lost friend. After about an hour, a guard came to warn them that dinner would be ready soon.

"I guess we should go, then. Henry, do you wish to have a few minutes?" Catherine gently asked him and he shook his head.

"No, I should go see Claude. She's all I have left of Isabella now and I just..." Will put a comforting hand on his shoulder and cast him a sad smile.

"It's okay, father, we understand. In fact, I think that we should all see Claude now, she'll be happy and it will make us feel better." Henry cast his son a grateful smile and the small family headed back to Catherine's chateau, where an unwilling but understanding Leonardo had been in charge of baby Claude. As they reached the chateau, Catherine couldn't help but feel like something was wrong, so she started running and they followed her.

"Leonardo?" She screamed worriedly and there was no answer. No sound of a crying baby or paintings being made, just silence. Henry opened the door slowly and entered it. The lights were out, giving a creepy look and Flora held onto Will as he wrapped an arm around her. Carefully, Henry walked around the room while holding the candle he had brought. A small light shone around the chateau and everyone gasped. The place was a mess, there was paint scattered around the floor and broken things.

"What the hell?" Will questioned silently and Henry started getting desperate.

"Leonardo, where are you?" He screamed and there was sudden movement in a corner of the room. Flora screamed in fear, but soon they heard a groan and Catherine ran towards the figure.

"Oh, god. Are you okay, Leo?" She asked the awakening man as he looked around the room confusingly. Blood was falling onto his shoulders and a huge gasp was on his side.

"I'm fine, it's just a scratch." He said with a small smile as he attempted to tranquilize Flora, who stared at his injury with wide eyes.

"What happened?" Henry asked as he knelt down and helped Leonardo stand up. He and Catherine half carried him to the couch, where he fell down with a groan.

"I'm not so sure, I was trying to make her sleep when someone came out of no where. It was a man, I'm sure, but it was too dark for me to see him clearly. He attacked me and as I fought back I was thrown back." Flora gasped and covered her mouth.

"That's so horrible. Are you okay?" She asked him worriedly and he smiled at her.

"Hey, I'm alright, flower." Leo reassured her. " I'm not the one you should be worried about." He added with a solemn look. Henry walked away from them as he searched for the missing baby, his daughter and the only thing he had left of Isabella, someone he had been extremely close to. Finding Claude actually didn't turn out to be so hard, she was in her crib. However, the feeling that something was wrong came back as he approached the sleeping baby.

"There you are." He said, unsure, and he picked her up and gently kissed her forehead. "My sweet baby." He told her afterwards and the sound of footsteps made him turn around to find Catherine.

"At least she's alright." She smiled at him and he smiled back, but he still couldn't shake that feeling. Catherine looked down at the baby as she held the candle and her expression soon turned to horror. Henry was about to question her, but before he could, she used her free hand to touch the baby's cheek and quickly removed it. "Henry, she's as cold as ice." He understood what she was saying, but he didn't want to believe it. Upon resting his own hand on Claude's face, he realized Catherine had been right.

"She is cold, I'll go get her a blanket." He gave Catherine the baby and walked away. The blonde woman stopped him before he reached the cabin.

"Henry, perhaps we should take her to the doctor, as well as Leonardo." She told him firmly and he turned around. After he gave her a nod, everyone left the chateau and went back to the palace so they could get a doctor. No one noticed the shadow that followed them, a man who held a knife covered in blood, Leonardo's blood. His brown eyes were shining with excitement and he had a smirk as he thought about how easy it had been to accomplish his revenge on the unknowing couple.

As the group approached the castle, Nostradamus came running their way. They stopped once he approached them and he stared at the baby in Catherine's arms with horror. Leonardo quietly kept walking as he seeked the doctor while the others stopped in front of Nostradamus.

"Oh, god. It's true then." Everyone was confused at that statement.

"What's true?" Henry asked him in confusion.

"The child, she's..." Nostradamus didn't finish the sentence, but they understood where he was going.

"She's dead?" Flora asked him with wide eyes. He nodded his head and Catherine gasped.

"She can't be, you're wrong." Henry argued and Catherine gave him a look.

" Henry,my love, I don't want it to be true either, but he's right. I can't hear her breathing and she's too cold and pale." The king shook his head in disagreement and Catherine decided that she'd better leave him alone. "But how did you know that, Nostradamus? Did you see that this would happen?" She questioned him and Nostradamus bowed down in shame.

"I must apologize immensely for not mentioning it before. I saw the child's death on the day she was born, but I assumed that I was wrong." Catherine stared at him in disbelief.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me?" Henry was so mad that he almost punched the psychic, but Catherine put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. Nostradamus shook his head.

"I am so sorry. Ever since I had that vision of Miss. Flora's death I assumed my gift wasn't working anymore." Nostradamus said and Flora looked at him curiously. She was used to Nostradamus talking about his gift and about magic, though she didn't really believe in it.

"You saw my death?" She asked him and his face paled.

"Yes, unfortunately." Catherine had a horrified look.

"No. This won't happen, I won't let it." She firmly said as she stared at her daughter. " What happened in your vision? How did she die? Did someone kill her?" She questioned Nostradamus.

"Well, the vision wasn't clear. I saw a knife covered in blood, Miss. Flora's blood. She was lying in the king's arms somewhere in the castle and they were alone." Catherine frowned, this wasn't helpful at all. "Oh, and there was also another man." This sparked Flora's interest.

"A man? Who was it?" The young girl questioned him.

"I don't know, I could only see his back, so all I know is that he had long blue hair. It was weird, he didn't seem like he belonged here." Nostradamus mused and Catherine was angered.

"So he must be the one responsible for it." She said with despise towards the unknown man.

"Then we'll keep an eye out for him. If any man with long blue hair gets near Flora, we'll be sure that they can never set foot on France again." Henry said firmly and Flora stared at her angry parents with raised eyebrows.

"Now you're exaggerating, it's not as if someone will just come and try to kill me." She told her parents and their expression didn't change. "But I'll be more careful, I promise." That eased their worries, as both moved to hug her tightly as if she would be disappearing at any moment. Will just watched them with a look crossed between disbelief and worry.

Once the trio broke apart, they decided to worry about it later, so they went back to the palace and towards the infirmary. They found Leonardo being taken care of and they handed Claude to the doctor. After a few minutes, he gave them the terrible news that they had been awaiting: Claude was dead. The cause, they were told, was poison. So Henry vowed to himself that he would find out who had killed her and make sure that they were hanged.

Catherine stared at her lover with pain and sadness as she wondered why life had been so cruel to them, why they were forced to love so many people they loved. First Rose, then Isabella and now Claude? It was as if the universe was working against them. However, she vowed to herself that she would find a way to come out of this even stronger and changed things for the better. She vowed to herself to focus on making Flora the perfect queen and finding a prince to marry her. She also prayed that she would be blessed with another child, someone that could heal the wounds that were left by the death of her close friend. Unfortunately, she didn't expect that things would become much worse as time went by. It's what they always say: life isn't fair.

April, 18th of 1543...

It was a hot summer day, too hot for anyone to be outside, but some people didn't have a choice. The royal family gathered near the palace gates, King Henry and his loyal mistress, Catherine, standing side by side with his two children, prince William and Miss. Flora near them. Guards and maids completed the group as they awaited for the arrival of their guest.

Said guest was none other than Mary Stuart, queen of Scotland and Prince William's fiance. The time had come for the young girl to come to France and join him as they would soon be wed. The golden carriage stopped in front of the gates and out came the young queen, with the help of one of her servants. Mary had long brown hair and eyes of the same color and she wore a beautiful golden dress that any girl would die for. She looked at the crowd awaiting her shyly for a minute before she smiled brightly and waved. An open mouthed William waved back and his sister laughed and rolled her eyes at his amazement upon seeing Mary.

Four girls followed the young queen, one with black hair and eyes (1); two blonde girls, one with brown eyes (2) and the other with blue ones (3) and lastly a brunette with green eyes (4). They were dressed richly, though not as much as Mary, and the royals were intrigued as they wondered who they were. The four girls followed Mary as she walked towards the four royals.

"My dear Mary, welcome to France." King Henry told her gently before he bowed down. Mary smiled at him before curtsying.

"Thank you, for such a warm welcome. I already feel at home." Henry laughed at her comment and prince William nervously coughed as he called for her attention. Mary smiled at him, a bit nervously.

"That's good to hear, Mary. I hope you'll like it here as much as I do." He told her nervously and his sister laughed once again. "Also, may I add that you look absolutely beautiful." Mary laughed at his comment and she blushed.

"Why thank you." The young queen responded before her attention turned to the other two people near the king. "I'm guessing you must be Lady Catherine and your daughter, Miss Flora." She questioned them and Catherine nodded.

"Indeed, your majesty." She said simply while Flora looked at Mary excitedly.

"I'm so glad you're here, Mary. It will be great to have some company that doesn't involve silly boys." She said playfully and Mary was surprised at the way she talked about the future king of France, but Will just rolled his eyes and said nothing.

"Oh My God, that was a good one!" The blonde girl with brown eyes laughed and everyone turned to her.

"I'm sorry, I almost forgot. These are my ladies and best friends, Kenna (1), Greer (2), Aylee (3) and Lola (4)." Mary quickly introduced each girl and they politely greeted the royals.

"It's a pleasure to meet you ladies, I do hope that you find comfort in our home." Henry told them with a warm smile.

"I'm sure we will, your majesty. From what we've seen so far, France seems to be a beautiful place and the castle's grand." Lola said, her green eyes shining with excitement.

"Well, why don't we get settled in now? Flora and William can lead you to your rooms while I'll see if everything's ready for the party." Henry said and Mary stared at him a bit confused.

"A party? I wasn't aware that there would be a party tonight." She said and Flora gave her a bright smile.

"It's a welcoming party and also to celebrate your 16th birthday. We thought you'd like to celebrate it here." She said and Mary returned the smile.

"That's so nice, thank you so much." After that Flora and Will lead the five girls to their chambers. Along the way Mary and Will talked as they tried to get to know each other and Flora watched them with a proud smile.

"Will's seems like a great person." One of the ladies, Greer, whispered in her ear while the other three gave them curious looks.

"Yeah, he's pretty cool. Though he's a bit clumsy, so you better tell Mary that." Flora playfully said and Greer laughed.

"I'll be sure to do so." Greer said and the other three ladies approached them as they joined in on the conversation. Will and Mary were too busy talking among themselves to notice them.

"What else can you tell us about him?" Lola asked, a serious look on her face.

"Well, he's gentle and polite, he was taught well." Flora told them and the three girls smiled. "Oh, and he loves cats and has lots of them in his chambers." This caught Greer's interest.

"Cats in his chambers? Now that's something I've never heard!" She laughed at the thought and the other three joined in as well.

"That's kinda weird, but I guess okay. There are much worse boys around here." Lola said and Flora got the feeling that her words were based on real life experience.

"Hey, wait a second. This is the wrong way!" Will said and Flora was pulled from her thoughts.

"The wrong way? How could this be?" An extremely worried Lola asked as she looked around the corridor. Flora's face lightened up as she realized where they were.

"Don't worry, I know exactly where we are." She told the others reassuringly.

"Then where are we, because this place's kinda chilly." Greer said and Flora was about to answer her when Lola screamed.

"And where's Kenna?" She started looking for her friend and the others looked worried too.

"Don't worry, Lola. You know Kenna, she's probably gone off to explore the palace on her own." Mary attempted to tranquilize her.

"But she doesn't know around here, she could get lost." Lola was unconvinced, so Will decided to step in.

"How about I look for her, then? I know this palace like the back of my hand, I'll find Kenna easily." He told the ladies with a warm smile and Mary returned an even brighter one.

"Ah, thanks so much, William. You're such a great help." Flora smirked as the two of them stared at each other as if they had forgotten that the others were still there.

"You're forgetting something. Without William we have no way to get to our chambers." Lola reminded them and Flora smiled at her.

"Don't worry, Lola. I've lived here for 16 years, I know the palace very well too." She told the brunette, who finally relaxed and cast her a smile.

"Okay, then. I'll meet you ladies at the party later." Will said and he bowed down to each girl. When he got to Mary, he took her hand and kissed it. The young queen blushed slightly and smiled. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Mary. I can't wait to dance with you tonight, at your party." Flora smiled at both of them.

"You're a lucky girl, Mary. Will's an excellent dancer." She winked at him and Will gave her a thankful smile before leaving to find Kenna. Mary and the other ladies turned to her and she nodded her head before signalling for them to follow her.

"So, where are we?" Aylee spoke for the first time and Flora looked at her, surprised.

"We're close to the library. Your chambers are set on the other side of the palace, so it will take us a while to get there." She answered and Lola's face lightened up.

"A library? I love reading." She commented and Flora smiled at her.

"So do I. Would you like to see it?" She questioned and Lola looked at Mary as if asking her for permission.

"That's not such a bad idea. I do love books myself." The young queen replied and Lola was almost jumping with joy. Greer, however, didn't seem too happy.

"Ah, those two are always dragging me to libraries." She complained and they laughed. "Just remember that soon we'll have a party and I want to have enough time to get ready. I haven't even chosen my dress for this evening, what am I going to do?" Flora laughed at the blonde's desperation.

"Hey, don't worry, we'll have plenty of time." She reassured Greer, who gave her a doubtful look.

"When it comes to fashion, there's never enough time." She said firmly and Flora laughed even harder.

"Is this it?" Lola asked as she stared at huge green doors. Flora nodded and she pushed them open. She could hear the other girls gasp in amazement at the size of the library.

"Wow, this place is amazing!" Mary said as she walked around.

"Agreed. I'll loved spending time here for as long as I stay." Lola said with a smile as she picked a book from the nearest shelf.

"That's so great to hear! I love spending time here, though sometimes it gets lonely." Flora told them with an excited smile."Will sometimes keeps me company since he liked to read, but he prefers to practice sword fighting." Greer rolled her eyes at her comment.

"Ah, man and their swords. I'll never understand what's so fun about fighting." The blonde complained. A voice called out for them and she screamed.

"My apologies, ladies." A young man dressed in servant's clothes said as he looked at the four startled girls.

"That's okay, Leith." Flora said as she recognized him. He had been working at the palace for a few years now and Flora even considered him a friend. She had taken pity on him when she saw how terribly he was treated as he used to work in the kitchen, so she had convinced her father to grant him a better position. Will had come to her aid and so Leith was made his personal servant. That way Leith gained more money and he didn't have to handle any mean bosses, Will was a great boss and they became friends as well.

"Who are you?" Mary curiously asked and Leith bowed down before answering. His blue eyes held a mysterious glow and his light brown hair fell slightly on his face as he spoke. As she looked at him, Greer couldn't help but think that he was cute and different. She didn't realize that once her eyes went back to Mary, who was patiently waiting for his answer, he looked at her with the same intensity.

"I am prince William's personal servant. He sent me here to tell you that Miss. Kenna has been found and she's been taken to her chambers." A relieved smile came to Lola's face.

"Thank goodness." She put a hand on her heart and Mary sighed in relief.

"So, Leith, you've been working on the palace for how long?" Greer curiously asked as she looked at him. Flora didn't miss the look the gave to each other and the way Leith smiled as she spoke to him.

"About three years. I used to work on the kitchen, but Miss. Flora and Prince William helped find a better job." He cast Flora a grateful smile and she smiled back.

"It's always good to help out a friend." She said and Leith nodded before turning his attention back to Mary.

"Anyhow, would you ladies like something to eat or drink?" He questioned and Mary, Aylee and Lola shook their heads.

"Well, now that you asked, I'd love to find out where the kitchen is. Would you mind taking me there?" Greer innocently said and Leith's smile widened.

"Of course not, Miss..." He tried to recall her name as Will had mentioned it as they met before.

"Greer. And you're Leith, right?" The blonde answered back and Will nodded.

"Right. It's nice to meet you." He politely said before they shook hands. They unknowingly stayed there for a few more seconds as they stared at each other, lost in thought. A cough from Lola brought them back to reality.

"Shall we go?" Leith asked and Greer nodded after they pulled their hands apart, both blushing.

"Wait! Before you go, I would like for you to choose a book here, Greer. I know you said you're not a huge fan, but take one at least, as a welcome present." Flora told her and Greer smiled.

"Okay, then. I don't hate books or anything, I'm just not obsessed like Lola" The blonde said and she ignored the brunette's glare as she searched the shelves for a book. Her eyes set on a red one in the farthest shelf from where they were and she picked it up.

"Which one is it?" Flora asked her as she came back.

"It's called 'Tales of the Winx'." Greer answered as she looked at the book.

"That's strange, I don't recall reading that one and I've read pretty much anything in here." The tanned girl said in confusion.

"It's definitely strange, it was if there was a force pushing me towards that book." Greer commented as she stared at the book in her hand. Making up her mand, she handed it to Flora."Here, take it. I don't want to take a book you haven't read." Flora was about to argue, but the blonde walked away from her and picked a green book. "Have you read this one?"

"Yes, a million times. It's called Romeo and Juliet and it's great." Flora replied and Greer nodded before she left the room with Leith following her.

"So, I'm not the only one that felt like there was a spark between them?" Flora asked once they were gone and Mary immediately nodded.

"I felt it too. It's the same thing I felt when I met William." She replied and Lola looked at her seriously, as usual.

"But is it a good thing or not? I don't have much experience with relationships, so I can't tell." She commented and Flora smiled.

"I think it's a good thing. My mother always told me how she felt sparks when she met my father and the two of them have been in love for over 20 years." She told the three girls, who looked surprised.

"So they're really in love? I thought Catherine was just his mistress." Lola questioned and Flora shook her head.

"No, they really do love each other. The only reason she stayed as his mistress is because they can't marry due to my mother not being royalty." Mary had a smile on her face after the first comment.

"So, do you think that Will and I will love each other too?" She asked and Flora nodded excitedly.

"I'm sure you will, I saw the way he was looking at you earlier, he loves you already." Mary blushed a bit and silence followed that statement as each girl was lost on her thoughts. Surprisingly, Aylee was the one who broke it as she had been silently sitting on a chair.

"So, shall we get back to our reading?" She asked them and they nodded. Each girl chose a book and a chair as they sat down. Flora was first as she already had a book in hand. She took a good look at it and her mind went back to the first question she had thought as she saw the book: what is Winx? She wondered for a moment, considering it might be written in another language or maybe it was a code. Giving up, she started reading.

Isabella: Henry's second wife/Best Friend-Died while protecting Henry

Claude: Henry and Isabella's child-murdered by unknown

Mary: Queen of Scotland, Will's fiancee (16 years old)

Mary's ladies and close friends: Kenna (16 years old), Greer (18 years old), Aylee (17 years old) and Lola (17 years old).

Leith: Will's personal servant, friends with Will and Flora. (19 years old)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we have two things connected to Winx. Can you see now where the story's going?
> 
> What did you think of Isabella's death? What about Claude? Who do you think killed her? Also, do you think Nostradamus's vision of Flora might come true?
> 
> And what about the new characters we see here? Did you enjoy the romantic scenes in this chapter? We'll have more next one and I'll warn you, Flora X Helia fans, be ready.


	16. Revelations Part 6: Reality X Fantasy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Will and Mary's wedding, tragedy strikes, leaving a kingdom without hope for the future and a family brokenhearted. After being forced into an unwanted situation, Flora has to choose between her happiness and that of her people. What will she choose?

Hello everyone. Here we have the last chapter of Flora's backstory, we'll get back to the present in the next one. I'll let you know that there will be more flashbacks as the story moves forwards, there are some things that still need to be explained.

IMPORTANT: I'm sure many of you are wondering what those characters I introduced look like, so I made a college with the most important ones. Since I didn't figure out how to post it here, I posted it on my tumblr page. You can find me there with the same name: SweetMemories1998. You should check it out once you're done with this chapter.

July, 25th of 1543...

"Oh, Mary, you look so beautiful!" Flora gushed as she looked at her future sister-in-law. The young queen wore a long white dress that flowed behind her. It had long sleeves, but the material of the sleeves was so soft that she wouldn't suffer with the hot weather. Her hair was tied up in a bun and she wore a crown that held the white veil.

"Thanks, Flo. I'm just not sure about this dress anymore." Mary replied with a smile as she looked at herself in the mirror a bit unsure. Greer quickly put a hand on her shoulder and cast her a reassuring smile.

"Hey, I think this dress is just perfect for you. Remember when I got married?" Greer recalled the day she had married Leith, who was now a lord thanks to Will. After Leith saved his life during an attack on the castle by vengeful italians, Will had granted him the title of Lord Bayard as a reward. With his new title, it wasn't so hard to convince Greer's extremely rigorous parents that the marriage between the two lovers was a great idea. They had gotten married earlier that month and were happily living in a chateau near the palace.

"Oh, I do. You were so nervous that you almost spilled wine on my dress." An unhappy Kenna recalled. She sat in a chair near them and she wore the same lilac dress as Flora, Greer and Lola.

"That was an accident. After Lola didn't let me drink it, I was taking it to the table when you came out of nowhere." Greer replied with a frown.

"Girls, please, don't start." Lola attempted to break up their argument. The two immediately stopped, not wanting to stress their pregnant friend. "Thank you." Lola responded while rubbing her stomach. About a month earlier she discovered that she was pregnant with her sweetheart, Colin's child and the two of them had gotten married as well because Lola's parents demanded it. Colin had been planning on proposing to hear anyways, so he was happy. They were still deciding whether they would remain in France like Greer or move back to Scotland.

Due to Mary's marriage to Will, the young queen had suggested that they stayed in Paris, reassuring Lola that she and Will would make sure that they lived well. After two months of knowing the prince she had come to like him and the feeling was returned. Some might even say they were in love, though it might take more time for that to become true. Flora couldn't be happier that her brother had found someone he loved and who made him happy and she was glad that she had made friendship with Mary and her ladies. It was a nice change after spending her childhood with only Will as a friend.

"Okay, I guess this is it then." Mary said and she turned back to her friends with a nervous smile.

"I bet Will won't be able to take his eyes off you." Flora told her with a smirk and she blushed.

"I hope not, then he will make me even more nervous." Mary replied and they all laughed.

"Don't worry, you'll do fine. And after today you'll become queen of France, how great is that?" Kenna said excitedly and Lola glared at her.

"I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. I wish I could have more time until I got married, like Stella did." Mary replied and she looked at the book resting on the dressing table. The five girls had read that book many times ever since the night Greer had found it.

"Yeah, Stella and Bloom were so lucky! They only got married when they were 20." Greer added as she thought about her favorite character from "Tales of the Winx". There were 5 main characters, five girls who weren't normal because they had magic, they were fairies. Mary and her friends had found the book silly and crazy at first, but Flora hadn't been as shocked as them. After all, she had grown up with the presence of Nostradamus, someone who 'was able to see the future', as her mother put it. So she didn't find the idea of girls with magical powers so crazy.

"Only Aisha wasn't so lucky, though she did love Nabu when they got married." Flora said and Mary nodded.

"Just like me and Will." She said with a dreamy smile as she thought about her soon to be husband.

"Well, I still think that this book's full of crap." Kenna disturbed the girl's joy. She had never liked reading the book and she was sick of her friends talking about it all the time.

"I'm sorry, Kenna. I know you don't like talking about "Tales of the Winx." It's just such an amazing book and it brings so much news, like a world with magic. I mean, that's so cool." Flora said and Kenna had a sad look on her face.

"If such a thing as magic ever existed, then Aylee would be here with us." Silence followed her comment as they recalled how Aylee had left them two weeks previously. It had come as a surprise when she died, having got ill all of sudden. Though, they had been warned that something like that might happen. On the first night Mary and her ladies had arrived in Paris, Nostradamus had told them of something that would happen in the future, as per King Henry's request. His words to Aylee still reverberated in each of her friends' minds as they wondered how he had been so right. "You're never coming home." He had said and so it had been.

"Well, I'd better check out how Will's doing." Flora broke the silence as she cast a smile at her friends. Then she left the room and walked towards tent where Will was getting ready. She knocked on the door and entered after she heard a nervous "Come in."

"Wow, don't you look very handsome today." She playfully told Will and he cast her a desperate look. She immediately realized that he was in no mood for joking.

"I'm glad you came here, princess." Henry told her as he walked her way and they shared a hug.

"Yeah, after making sure that everything's okay with the bride, I came here to check out how Will's doing." She replied and Will looked at her so desperately that she had to hold back a laugh.

"Is it truly okay? Is Mary sure about this? Hasn't she given up on the wedding?" He started asking really fast and Flora laughed.

"Ah, mon petit chat, calm down. Everything's fine, Mary can't wait to marry you." Flora told him with a radiant smile. He stopped pacing as she said those words.

"Truly?" He asked, brown eyes shining with excitement and Flora nodded.

"Yes. She was a bit nervous too, but she's alright now. I'm so happy for you two, love birds." She told him and moved in for a hug that he easily returned. She patted his back comfortingly and Will started relaxing. Once they pulled apart, his nervousness was almost gone and instead determination was clear on his face.

"Father, Flora, let's get this wedding going." He said firmly, a huge smile on his face. Flora nodded and she went to warn the bride as Will and Henry left for the place where the wedding would be held.

Two hours later...

The wedding ceremony had gone smoothly, there were no major problems except for Will nearly dropping the ring he was supposed to give to Mary. The young couple had exchanged their vows and, although she would never admit it, even Kenna had shed a tear. Flora hadn't been able to cry, she had been overcome with joy at seeing her brother so happy. She also had been a bit distracted when they were exchanging rings due to a young man looking at her. It's not as if men never looked at her, Flora knew that she wasn't ugly and being the king's child made people look at her, some with despise and others with interest.

The difference this time was that the man who was staring at her so intensely had a crown on his head. Now, there was a huge difference at a lord or a servant looking at her that way and a prince. She wondered if he knew who she was, if he was aware that she wasn't truly a princess, but in that moment, as she watched her brother get married, she wished that the man didn't know who she was. She wished that he would approach her later and they could have fun without caring about titles. Somewhere deep in her heart, she knew that wouldn't happen, though. It was just as crazy and impossible as a world where there were fairies and witches.

After the ceremony, the party had been held in the ballroom. Mary, Greer and Lola had quickly started dancing with their sweethearts while Flora and Kenna sat down near the food table. It didn't take long for Kenna to get herself a dance partner, though, she was a beautiful young woman and she always found herself someone to spend the parties with. She hadn't been looking for love, so she had her fun playing with the counts and lords. That night she danced with Lord Sebastian, a young nobleman that was surprisingly single.

Flora was then left alone. She watched the people dancing and having fun for a few minutes, a faraway look on her face, until she decided that she'd better occupy her time with something less depressing. So she picked her favorite book and reread it for the millionth time. She was just getting to the second chapter, the one where the Winx would fight their first battle against the Trix as the trio would attack Bloom in an attempt to take her dragon flame when someone sat down by her side. She payed them no mind and didn't even lift up her eyes until he spoke.

"You know, it's not everyday you see a beautiful lady sitting by herself with only a book to keep her company." The man spoke and so she turned to look at him. She was surprised to find the same gentleman who had looked at her before and she wasn't angry at the interruption. After all, he was quite handsome. He had short light brown hair and light green eyes. The crown on his head glowed under the lights of the room and Flora found herself staring at it.

"Did you like it?" He asked and she stared at him in confusion.

"Like what?" She asked and he laughed.

"The crown. Most people cannot take their eyes off it. It's as if they don't see me, only the crown." He replied a bit sadly and Flora felt sorry for him.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to do that, it's just so shiny." She apologized and a smile grew on his face.

"That's okay. But how about we pretend that we're not royalty, just for tonight?" He asked her and she was surprised. What he was proposing was absurd and unexpected.

"I don't have to pretend, I'm not really a princess." She replied after a few seconds and his smile enlarged.

"I don't care. From now on, I'm no longer a prince. You can call me James." He said and Flora smiled at him.

"Okay, then. My name is Flora." She told him and James extended his hand.

"Well then, Flora, would you do the honor of dancing with me?" He asked formally and she laughed and shook her head.

"To tell the truth, I'm not such a dancer myself." She said while blushing as she recalled how afraid she was to dance in public. He gave her an understanding look.

"I see. So, you like books, right?" He asked while pointing towards "Tales of the Winx." Flora thought he sounded like he didn't think that was a good thing, but she was so over the moon by the fact that he was talking to her that she put that thought aside.

"Yes, I do. That one's my favorite." She responded and James picked it up.

"What's Winx?" He questioned, a confused look on his face.

"It's rather complicated. You'd have to read it to fully understand." She told him and he smiled appreciatively.

"Then how about we make a little agreement?" He proposed and she raised her eyebrows.

"What kind of agreement?" She questioned and James smiled brightly.

"I'll read this book if you share a dance with me. Only one dance." He said and Flora laughed. This man was completely different from what she would expect of a prince and she liked it.

"I guess we have an agreement then." She said and she stood up and extended her hand. He gave her a surprised look before he took her hand and lead her to the dance floor. A new song started, played by the famous musician, Nicolas Gombert, and they danced and laughed. Across the room, a couple watched them with serious expressions on their faces.

"So, what do you think?" Catherine asked Henry. They had been watching Flora's interaction with the mysterious man for a few minutes now.

"Well, he doesn't have blue hair." Henry simply said and she shook her head.

"There's something strange about him, I get the feeling that he cannot be trusted." Henry cast her a look.

"I think you're exaggerating, Catherine. He doesn't seem like much of a threat." He told her and her suspicious expression didn't leave. "Besides, he's clearly a prince and he's dancing with our daughter. We should be glad." Catherine's expression turned to anger at his words.

"That's precisely what's strange, he's a prince. Why is he dancing with her when she clearly doesn't look like a princess?" Henry was taken aback at her words as he looked at his daughter again. She was laughing as James led her through the dance floor. "I'm sure that he's playing with her." Catherine added and he sighed.

"Well, we can't tell it right now. What we should do now is trust Flora to be smart enough not to take this much further." He told Catherine determinately and she nodded.

"We taught her well, he has no chance if he's playing her." She said, but the frown didn't leave her face. Henry smiled before he extended his hand.

"Well, now that we've settled on this, how about we show them how it's done?" He asked her with a grin and she laughed. She knew that she could always count on him to try to make her laugh. She gladly took his hand and they headed for the dance floor. They missed the man who watched them from a distance, a frown on his face and a knife securely hidden inside his pocket.

Later that night it was time for the newlyweds to leave for their honeymoon in Sweden, where they would be staying for 10 days. The king and queen had arranged for them to have their own chateau as they had invited the young couple as a way to show that the alliance between France and Sweden, though no longer a political one, still existed. Mary and Will came to the palace gates as the guests of the party followed them while throwing white roses at the young couple. They reached their carriage a few minutes later and they turned back to cast smiles at the people who had come to celebrate this happy day with them.

Flora, Greer, Lola and Kenna walked towards them for a group hug with Mary, while Will watched from a distance. The four friends gave their best wished to the young queen and told her to have fun at her trip with her husband. Once they broke apart, Mary's ladies returned to where they were standing while Flora hugged her brother. It was a tight hug, one that showed how they cared about each other.

"Have a nice trip, Will. I hope you'll come back soon, cause I'll miss you, mon petit chat." Flora whispered on his ear and he smiled.

"I'll miss you too, bouquineuse. Have fun here as well, though not too much. And don't get married while I'm away, when you do so I want to meet him so I can give him a piece of my mind." Flora laughed at his words and she gave him another tight hug. After they pulled apart, she went back to Greer, Kenna and Lola while Henry and Catherine had their turns hugging him as well. After everyone said their farewells, it was time for Will and Mary to go. Smiles were on their families' and close friend's faces for they had no idea that this would be the last time they would see the two lovers as happy and peaceful as they were that day.

July, 30 of 1543...

"I don't believe this!" A young man screamed as he stared at the girl with green eyes and tanned skin with widened eyes. Both were laughing like they were mad.

"I swear, it happened." Flora told him between laughs. It had been 5 days since Will and Mary had left for their honeymoon and the palace looked empty without them. Greer, Lola and Kenna were gone too as they had gone back to Scotland to visit their families.

Flora was sure that she would be stuck in the library, alone and rereading her books if it wasn't for James. He had been a perfect gentleman and had kept her company for the past few days. The two of them had connected over their mutual love for the palace gardens and they had spent most of their time talking and getting to know each other.

They were nowhere near learning each other's identities, though. James had insisted that they kept their families and last names a secret, which made Flora sure that he didn't mean for their relationship to go much further. She didn't care, though, she was having fun and it was good to have someone to keep her company until Will got back. Besides, it's not as if she was falling for James or anything, they were just friends. Though she felt like maybe he wanted something more, which was weird. There were times when he would lean in as if he wished to kiss her and others when he would make compliments and insist that any man would be lucky to marry her. She was confused by his actions, but she chose not to bring it up. After all, they were having fun and she didn't wish to ruin that.

"So you actually almost killed your brother once?" James asked and Flora was brought back to reality. She had just told him of the time she had nearly killed her brother when they were playing sword fight. The young prince had been impressed by that fact that she knew how to use a sword, buy he was learning that everything was surprising when it came to her. She was different from other ladies and he was glad for that.

"It was an unfortunate accident that he insists on bringing up every time I mention something bad about him." Flora told him as she rolled her eyes before her expression softened. " It's kind of annoying, really. But I still love him." She said with a smile and James smiled as well.

"I love the way you talk about your brother, it seems as if you two are really close." He commented and Flora's smile enlarged.

"We really are, which is why I'm glad that you're here to keep me company. If you weren't, I'm sure I'd be spending all my days at the library." James laughed at her comment.

"I'm happy to be the one to stop you from reading that crazy book for the millionth time." He told her and she pouted.

"Hey, what part of not saying anything bad about "Tales of the Winx" did you not understand?" She told him with raised eyebrows and he put his hands in front of him in a sign of surrender.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. But seriously, I don't know where the writer came up with the idea of a world filled with magical creatures. It's just so crazy and unbelievable." James told her and Flora was about to respond when a maid came to them. She told them it was time for Flora to head home for dinner so the young girl said goodbye to her companion before she walked towards her chateau. James watched her go with a distant look as he thought of how she would react when she figured out who he truly was and why he was there.

August, 5th of 1543...

Flora walked around the palace corridors, her head was down as she avoided everyone, wanting to be left alone. She wore a long black dress that was meant as a signal of her mourning. Her green eyes were filled with unshed tears as she attempted to hold herself, she couldn't cry right now.

A few days earlier she would have loved to be in her friend's company, but now all she wanted was to be alone. And Greer, Lola and Kenna understood that. Ever since they had gotten the terrible news that changed everything, they had let her be alone after she demanded it and she hadn't see them since. It had only been a few hours, though. 5 slow, terrible hours since her whole life changed. It's not as if nothing horrible had happened to her, as if she was a stranger to pain, but this was different. This time, it had hit her much harder.

The young girl quietly knocked on the door of the throne room and a shot "come in" followed. She would have preferred to be in her chateau, by herself, but her father had requested a meeting only a few hours after he said those words that changed everything. As grief-stricken and sad as she was, Flora knew that it was much worse for him and so she had unwillingly come to meet him. She was sure that he wanted to discuss what was to be done about the funeral.

Funeral. Will's funeral. This time it was extremely harder to conceal her sadness and hide her tears. Why should she even have to do so, after she had lost her brother? Her dear, wonderful brother who had been her companion for most of her life. Her best friend, her only friend and one of the only people who actually cared about her. Why did he have to go? Why was fate so cruel?

"Come in." The voice said, a bit louder and Flora realized that she had been standing outside the throne room, so she entered it. She spotted her father sitting on his throne and his royal advisor, Charles Bonnaire by his side. What truly shocked her was the third person on the room.

"James?" She questioned as she stared dumbfoundedly at her new friend, who stood in front of her father wearing the same golden crown from the first time she had met him and an expensive looking green suit that matched his eyes.

"Hello, Flora." His tone was serious and he cast her a nervous look that confused her greatly.

"What are you doing here? What is going on?" Her eyes went from her beloved father to James as fear grew within her.

"Princess, I know the timing is terrible, but there are some things that need to be discussed." Henry told her firmly, a small smile on his face that was able to conceal his pain from anyone that wasn't close to him. Flora could see it clearly, though. She wanted to comfort him, but first she needed answers.

"Father, you called me here for a meeting. Might I know what this is about?" She politely asked and looked at him expectantly. Henry remained silent, though. It was James who answered her question.

"Flora, first of all I must apologize to you." Now she was even more surprised. Before she could question him, he continued. "I deceived you and I know I shouldn't have done so. However, this is an urgent situation, so what I did was necessary." He told her and there was determination and hope in his eyes. She gave him a confused look.

"I don't understand. What have you lied to me about?" He sighed deeply before answering.

"I knew who you were when we met. To tell the truth, you were the main reason why I came to France." She turned to him with raised eyebrows.

"And why would you come here for me? What did you want?" She feared the answer for that question.

"James came to visit us because his country is in need of our help." Henry told her and her eyes turned to him.

"Yes, Ireland's facing a terrible danger that threatens us all." James added and Flora was sure now of what the problem was, but there was still something unclear.

"So you're the prince of Ireland. I don't know much about the situation there, but what does it have to do with me? How exactly could I help you and your family?" James and Henry shared a cautious look that made her angry and desperate.

"Flora, my princess, do you remember the reason why we made an alliance with Scotland and Will married Mary?" Henry asked her and she didn't miss the way his voice trembled at Will's name. She nodded her head.

"Yes, we made the alliance because England was threatening Scotland and us too. Is that what's happening, they're threatening Ireland now?" She asked, her heart hammering in her chest and her desperation rising as she understood where this was going.

"What a smart lady. That's right." Charles Bonnaire spoke for the first time as he cast Flora a proud smile.

"I'll make it clear that I never meant to hurt you, Flora. After the english king threatened to kill my father and take Ireland, I was told to seek an alliance with the most powerful country: France. I decided to come here and make you fall in love with me so that you'd be more willing to accept an arranged marriage." James said and she gasped as she stared at them with widened eyes.

"You tricked me! All this time, you told me you weren't searching for a wife, that you just wished for us to be friends." She screamed at him and James recoiled at her tone and her words. Henry stepped in front of him and looked at his daughter firmly.

"Flora, as upset as I am that James tricked you, we can use that as an advantage." She stared at her father in confusion.

"How?" She asked, upset that he wasn't as outraged as she was. Henry smiled at her.

"An alliance with Ireland will not only strengthen France, but it will give us a chance to surround England They won't be able to hurt us anymore." He attempted to convince her and it didn't work.

"No! I am not getting married to anyone now!" She said firmly and Henry sighed.

"This isn't really your choice to make, princess." Her eyes widened in surprise and shock.

"So you're willing to break your promise?" She asked her father, her tone unusually cold and harsh and Henry bowed his head as if he was ashamed of himself.

"I'm so sorry, princess. You know that I'd never wish to hurt you, but this is important. The fate of France is at stake." Flora scoffed and the three men stared at her in surprise.

"So you want me to put France above everything, just like you did." She accused and Henry recoiled, regret an sadness clear on his face as he recalled his decision of years before. "I won't do that, I don't want to be miserable for the rest of my life like you, father. I want to be happy and marry someone I love. No offence to you, James. You're truly a wonderful man, but I feel that way about you." She turned to her friend, who smiled at her.

"It's okay, I don't either. But marriage isn't always about love, sometimes it's about something much bigger." He told her determinately and she shook her head. She wouldn't give in, she wouldn't do what they wanted.

"Flora, you're too young to understand now, but I sure hope that someday you will accept my decision." Henry said, having regained his confidence and posture, before he turned to James. "Tell your messenger to send a message to your father confirming the alliance and the marriage between you and my dear daughter. You two will be wed in five days." Flora gave him an incredulous look that he ignored as he kept looking at James.

"I will do so, your majesty. Thank you." James bowed down in respect before he left the room and Flora was alone with her father, well except for the presence of Mr. Bonnaire. Silence filled the room as she was too lost in shock and anger to be able to formulate words and Henry thought he'd better not say anything.

"I can't believe that you did this." She looked at him, angry tears cascading on her face and he gave her a desperate look.

"I'm sorry, but we must think of the fate of our country before our own happiness. I hope that you'll be able to forgive me someday." He told her and Flora vigorously shook her head.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to do so. And if Will were here, neither would he." With those piercing and cold words, she left the room and ran back to her chateau as she hoped to find some comfort in her mother. Henry watched her go with a broken look as he hoped that she would be able to forgive him someday. He had already lost a son, he couldn't bear the thought that Flora might be lost too.

August, 10th of 1543...

Flora stood in front of the same large mirror that Mary had only a few weeks before. She wore a beautiful wedding dress with white roses decorating the bodice and the end of the skirt. Her bouquet of the same flowers rested on Greer's lap as she sat down in chair as well as Lola. Both wore sad looks as they knew this wasn't a happy day.

"The dress is beautiful." Mary said from her spot behind Flora as she helped her sister-in-law put on a small tiara that was supposed to hold the veil. Flora sighed after Mary's comment.

"I wish I would be wearing it in a truly happy occasion." She said and Mary put a comforting hand on her shoulder. After Will's death their relationship had grown even more as they both comforted and understood each other. It was too bad that Mary would be returning to Scotland soon as her mother had called her back there.

"You need to think positive now, maybe being married to James won't be so bad after all." Greer attempted to lighten her mood and Kenna shook her head.

"I doubt it will be good. I've been hearing a lot about him and not good things." The brunette told them with a wary look as she looked around the room to make sure they were alone. "Some people are even saying that he was the one who killed his first wife, Diana. Rumor has it that he was abusive to her and one time, when she tried to fight back, he killed her." Flora looked terrified after hearing this and Mary cast Kenna a warning look.

"Thanks, Kenna. You've been such a help." Greer sarcastically said and Kenna looked ready to fight back. Always the peace maker, Lola spoke up.

"Girls, don't even start! You've done enough fighting during Mary's wedding day, let's leave Flora alone. She needs us today." Flora cast her pregnant friend a grateful smile that Lola returned. There was a knock on the door and they turned their attention to their guest.

"Come in." Mary said and the door opened to reveal Will and Colin, both dressed in black suits. The girls gave them smiles as Greer and Lola stood up and greeted their husbands.

"Hey, love. How's our little one doing?" Colin asked Lola and she laughed before caressing her swollen stomach.

"Shes doing great, kicking like I need any signs that she's still there." The brunette responded and both parents laughed as Colin touched her stomach too.

"Oh, little one. Let mommy have her rest today, okay? We've had such a long trip coming back from Scotland." He told their unborn child as he recalled how him and Lola had only gotten back from Scotland the night before, almost losing Flora's wedding.

"That's right. So, have you decided where you'll be staying?" Greer asked them curiously while Leith had his arms wrapped around her. Lola shook her head in response.

"Not really. We decided to leave it for after the wedding." She told her friends and they nodded.

"Well, the real reason why we came here, besides saying hello to our beautiful wives, is because the ceremony is about to start." Leith said while he cast a smile at Greer and then Flora. The green eyed beauty sent back a sad smile as she sighed.

"Guess it's time to do this." She said determinately. "But could you please go ahead? I guess I need a few minutes alone before I go through with this wedding." They nodded their heads and Leith hugged her before they all left the room. Once she was alone, Flora turned back to look at the red book that had been her safe haven, her only way to escape all of the horrible things that were happening in her life. She sat down on the chair previously occupied by Kenna and started flowing through the book. Pictures flew before her eyes and she smiled as she thought about the characters she loved so much.

Bloom, the fairy of the dragon flame and princess of Domino. Well, queen at the end of the book, after she married her sweetheart, Sky, a noble from her own realm. There was also Stella, fairy of light, who reminded her so much of Greer. She had also married a boy that used to be a servant, Brandon, and they lived happily as king and queen of Solaria.

Then there was Musa, princess of Melody and fairy of music. She eventually married Riven, a young man from her own realm who had lost his mother at a young age. Her parents weren't worried about her marrying a prince because she wouldn't have to take the throne since that was reserved for her older sister, Galatea, who became queen after she married prince Thoren of Eraklyon. Although he did have an affair with Daphne, Bloom's older sister and they had a child together, but he chose to be with Galatea.

Aisha and Tecna were the other two members of the group. The first one lived in Andros and she was forced into an arranged marriage to a man she had never met, much like Will and Mary. Also like the young queen and prince, Aisha and Nabu fell in love after they met and were happy to get married later. Tecna was the only one of her friends who wasn't a princess, since her home planet didn't know monarchy. That fact surprised Flora greatly for she couldn't imagine a world where there were no kings and queens. That was just how she had always known it. Though she knew there were some countries, like Italy, where there wasn't really a monarchy, but it was really different in Tecna's home planet. Said fairy worked with technology, so it was only logical that she would end up with Timmy, the technology master.

There was also a young man who was friends with this group of fairies who called themselves the Winx. His name was Helia and Flora admired him because of his gentle nature. He was also the peacemaker in the group, just like Lola was in Flora's own and he was also a magical creature, a wizard. By the end of the book he married Princess Krystal, from his home planet, Limphea, and they lived happily ever after. That was just how the book worked, everyone got a happy ending.

"I wonder if I'll get a happy ending." Flora wondered as she stared at the picture of Bloom and Sky in their wedding day. "Unfortunately, reality doesn't work like that. How many people have I known who deserved to happiness, but did not achieve it? Like Mary, and Will." She mused and she was overcome with sadness at the memory of her brother.

It had only been 6 days since his death and it still pained her greatly every time she thought about it. Flora closed her eyes as she recalled the last time she had seen him, when they had said their goodbyes. She didn't notice that she had started glowing green or that the book had too. "What?" She asked herself after she opened her eyes and noticed the glowing. It scared her, but she recalled how panicking wasn't good in this kind of situation so she breathed in a couple times. Soon the glow enveloped her wholly and she disappeared, as well as "Tales of the Winx."

A few minutes later...

A beeping sound made Flora wake up after being unconscious for a while. She touched her aching forehead as she slowly opened her eyes. Panic started building inside her as she realized that the place she was in was unfamiliar. Desperately, she sat up quickly and looked around the room. It was green with flowers painted and there was a small closet, a desk and two doors. She was confused about where she was and even more confused as she stared at a picture in the nightstand.

It showed a family of 4, a mother with dark brown hair and brown eyes, a father with light brown hair and green eyes, and a young girl with her father's hair and eyes. What surprised Flora about the picture was the 4th member, it was her. How the hell did she end up in a picture with a strange family? She massaged her aching head as everything became more clear. This wasn't a strange family, this was her family. She remembered how that woman had sang for her to sleep and the man had taught her everything she knew about flowers. And the little girl, that was her sister, Miele. But how was this possible? Weren't Catherine and Henry her parents? Wasn't Will her older brother?

There was another beeping sound and Flora found the source of it. It was a device she didn't know well, something she had only seen in "Tales of Winx". She recalled it was called a cell phone and it allowed one to make calls between different countries and cities. She picked it up and pressed a button and sighed in relief after the beeping stopped. She set it back on the table and looked around the room once again.

Soon she spotted the red book that she had been thinking of just a few minutes before. She picked it up and opened it while sitting on the bed. As she opened it, she was shocked to find out that most of the book was now blank. There was no more on the Winx's story, as if they had never even existed. Flora started panicking as she searched the book for any clues on how to get back home. As she turned back to the first few pages, she realized that there were pictures of the family she had seen and she was there too. As she read through it she realized what had happened.

"This is so crazy." She muttered to herself. "It's as if I'm actually in the book. Maybe I am dreaming." She thought about what was happening. But what if she wasn't dreaming, what if what she read was true and she had somehow become a part of the book. She laughed at how ridiculous that was. "No, it's obviously not real. This kind of thing just doesn't happen." She attempted to convince herself when there was a knock on the door all of sudden. She was startled and even more shocked when the person didn't await for her to allow them to come in and they just barged in.

"Good morning, sweetheart." The woman with dark brown hair entered the room while she carried a tray filled with different foods. She smiled brightly at the confused girl and walked towards her.

"Good morning." Flora replied politely and the woman laughed before kissing her on the forehead and leaving the tray by her nightside.

"Here, I've brought you breakfast in bed like you asked." She pointed at the table while smiling at Flora. "Now come on, you need to be ready in thirty minutes or else you won't get to Alfea in time." Flora was super confused but upon hearing that word things got clearer.

"Alfea? As in the magical school for fairies?" She questioned and the woman gave her a strange look.

"Yes. Did you forget that you'll be starting your first year there today?" Flora was surprised by that as she recalled that the Winx had already finished Alfea by the end of the book. But then she remembered that their story had been erased.

"Oh, right. I could never forget." She smiled brightly at her mother and Alyssa raised her eyebrows before giving her another kiss and leaving the room. Flora was alone once again and she sighed.

"Okay, this is probably a dream and I'll wake up soon and I'll still be getting married to James." She told herself. "But what if it isn't? What if this is real and magic does exist? I could be inside the book, I could have become a character." She considered the possibility carefully and easily decided. "Well, if that's true, then maybe this is my second chance. Maybe I can find happiness here and I won't have to lose anyone I love." She gripped the necklace that her father had given her on her 3rd birthday and she stared at the pictures of Henry and Will. "I love you both, but this is about me. My chance at being happy for once. France can survive without me, I'm sure of it." It was settled then, she would stay there and see what happened. If she woke up the next day with only memories of a dream, that was okay. If she never woke up, if this wasn't just a dream, even more okay. Not many get a second chance in life, so she was glad that she had gotten one.

So, what did you think of the wedding scenes with Will and Mary freaking out? What about James, what did you think of his character?

And what about Tales of Winx? Were you able to understand it? I'm sure many people are wondering who wrote it, but I'll let you know that it won't be relevant to to the story and I won't delve much into it. What matters is what the book means.

Also, what did you think of Henry forcing Flora to marry James? Was it the right decision? Do you recall when someone convinced him to do something similar?

REALLY IMPORTANT: Remember to check out the picture on tumblr.

Also, since we've had many important things happening on the last few chapters, here is what I want you to hold onto:

1-Catherine's family was murdered by orders of Henry's father.

2-Catherine and Henry were in love and their relationship was real.

3-Nostradamus: a wizard that had the ability to see the future. Remember the vision he had of Flora's death, because it will be mentioned again.

4-Flora and Will were best friends, but there was nothing romantic going on between them. Will loved Mary before he died.

5-Greer, Leith, Lola and James will be important characters for the rest of the story, so you better remember who they are.

6-"Tales of the Winx" is a magical book, written by unknown and the Winx are actually characters of the book. The book works as a sort of portal between two different worlds.When Flora entered the book due to her magic, she changed the entire story and she became a character herself. That's why we have Alyssa and Rollos claiming to be her parents and Miele as her sister.


	17. A World Without Magic

Okay, so there are two very important things that need to be mentioned: first, many people noticed that there wasn't much detail on Will's death and I can tell you that there is a reason for that. We'll be having more flashbacks in the following chapters and one of them will explain that.

Another thing maybe wasn't so clear: The Winx and Specialists aren't exactly returning to the past, because the place Flora used to live in was another reality, another Earth. However, it is almost the same as Earth on the book, cause whoever wrote it lived on this place and sort of copied it into the book. I hope that's clear.

"Ouch!" Screams and moans were heard as the Winx and Specialists were thrown across a large field. Unable to control their fall, they all fell on their back. Catherine gracefully landed on her feet as she stared at them with a satisfied expression.

"Is everyone alright?" Bloom asked as she sat up by Sky's side. She looked around at her fallen friends in concern.

"We're still alive at least." Stella said as she frowned while touching the back of her head, which she had hit hard on a rock. She could feel some blood falling out. "Damn! This hurts." She complained and Brandon gave her a worried look.

"What hurts? Are you injured?" He asked her worriedly.

"Is anyone else worried about where the hell we are?" An angry Aisha screamed as she was standing up with Lana in her arms and Nabu by her side. The two of them plus Flora and Helia were standing up and looking around with panicked expressions. Another groan prevented anyone from responding as Musa finally woke up. She blinked a few times before staring at Riven.

"Hey, Riven." She said and he let out a sigh.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried there for a second." He helped her sit up and Musa's expression turned to worry.

"What the hell?" She asked everyone.

"This is impossible!" Came a response from Tecna as she stared at her phone in horror.

"Tecna, what's wrong?" Bloom asked her worriedly and the technology fairy frowned.

"I can't get any signal here, my phone isn't working." She complained and the others were surprised.

"Yeah, mine neither. What kind of place is this?" Timmy added with a frown.

"Hello, not to break this conversation of yours, but I'm bleeding here." Stella shouted, turning their attention back to her.

"Of course, I'm coming, Stell." Bloom said as she approached the sun fairy quickly. She was about to use her magic to heal her injury when Catherine spoke for the first time since they got there.

"Don't even bother." She said, a bored expression on her face.

"What?" Bloom asked back and it was Flora who answered.

"There's no use in healing Stella. Magic doesn't exist here." Everyone looked back at the nature fairy. Her expression was pure horror and her face was paler than when she had been poisoned. She was clearly not alright, but they were more worried about the fact that she had clearly been lying to them.

"What are you saying?" Stella asked and Musa and Aisha shared a look.

"She's saying that we can't use our powers here. But why?" Aisha asked and Catherine answered this time.

" Because I made sure of it. I couldn't have you flying away, I need you here." Her tone was cold, but not evil. She was unlike any villains the Winx had known, she had actually managed to get them to a palce where they couldn't use their powers. She was smarter than even Valtor.

"Why are you doing this?" Flora asked, her tone desperate and sad. Catherine gave her a sad smile, but she said nothing.

"Great! So if we can't use magic, how are we going to get out of here?" Stella complained, her head was starting to hurt by now and she felt lightheaded. Brandon held her tightly, almost as if he knew that.

"Just because they're saying we can't use magic, doesn't mean it's true. She's clearly crazy and Flora's lied to us about so many things, so why not this." Aisha said as she stared angrily at her best friend. Or was she even? What else had she been lying about? Flora lowered her head and avoided eye contact.

"Aisha's right. We should try it." Daphne said and she attempted to transform. The Winx hoped that it would work, but nothing happened. "Nope, they're telling the truth." She sighed and the Winx were starting to get desperate.

"So what now?" Thoren asked and no one had the answer.

"Now you're going to stay quiet, because you're starting to get on my nerves. Teenagers." Catherine eyed them sternly. Musa was about to argue with her, her anger building as she realized that she was the one responsible for their current situation, but she didn't get the chance to say anything.

"Wait a minute. Now that I think about it, I might know where we are." Bloom said as she walked around the field they were in. As they did the same, they realized that they weren't actually in a field, but a park. In front of them was a huge building that Bloom recognized.

"You do?" Musa asked, confused.

"Yes. See that building over there?" The redhead pointed at the building in front of them. "I think that's Notre Dame church. I've been here before." Her statement was met with hopeful expressions and Flora's eyes widened.

"But of course, you would know Paris." She said and the others gave her confused looks.

"Paris? What's that?" Sky asked and Tecna's face lightened up.

"I know that. Paris is on Earth, right?" The technology fairy asked. Having great memory, she remembered clearly when Bloom had taught them a bit about other places on Earth when they had first come there.

"Yes, it is. But why are we here?" Bloom said and Aisha added frustratedly.

"And why isn't there magic here? We brought magic back to Earth, didn't we?" She asked unsurely and the Winx had thoughtful expressions on their faces.

"We did, but this isn't the Earth we know. It's the 16th century." Flora told them and Catherine cast her a look.

"Flora, dear, you need to be more careful with what you say. You're giving way too much information." Flora gave her another desperate look, not recognizing the woman in front of her. What had caused her mother to work with Selina, with the Trix and try to murder her friends? Why was she doing this?

"They're my friends, they deserve to know where we are." Flora said simply, attempting to contain her anger. Catherine laughed bitterly.

"Honey, they're not your friends. You've been eluding yourself for a while now, but it's time for you to come back to reality." At those words, no one could hold Musa any longer.

"What the hell are you talking about? Who the hell are you even?" The fairy of music screamed at her and Tecna and Aisha facepalmed while Flora and Bloom looked terrified. Catherine remained calm as she answered.

"I am Flora's mother and therefore I get to decide what's best for her. And right now I'm thinking that you're not that." Catherine responded coldly and the Winx widened their eyes.

"She's even crazier than we thought." Aisha said and Musa added.

"And what's with this Flora's mother idea? We know her mother, her name's Alyssa and she's really nice." Anger crossed Catherine's face, but she didn't act on it.

"You silly children. You have no idea who you really are, do you?" She questioned them and they gave her confused looks.

"Mother, stop this, please. What you're doing isn't right." Flora pleaded and Catherine didn't even move.

"I'm doing what's best for you, what's best for our family." Flora shook her head vigorously as a few tears began cascading down her face.

"No. You're only thinking of yourself. I was happy there and you brought me back here. And for what?To teach me a lesson?" Her anger was building and she knew that soon she would explode and she didn't want her friends to be there when that happened. They had never seen her blow up, she usually was the calm one.

"I brought you here to perform your duty, Flora." Catherine said firmly while she approached her daughter. "Or did you forget that the fate of two nations is relying on you?" Flora ignored her words as she turned to her friends.

"I'm sorry. I truly am." She begged for their forgiveness and they wanted to grant it, but first hey needed to get all the details, understand what happened.

"Flora, please explain what's going on because this is too confusing and with each minute that goes by I'm finding it harder to trust you." Bloom spoke up and Flora was about to reply when she was interrupted by the sight of two huge carriages with brown horses approaching them. The Winx and Specialists stared at them curiously, not used to seeing horses since these animals lived on Earth only. A smile came to Catherine's face.

"Finally!" She said as the carriages stopped by them. A man stepped out from the first one and Bloom almost screamed as she recognized him. She recalled seeing pictures of him in her art lessons and seeing his famous paintings on the Louvre when she had come to Paris with her parents. It was Leonardo da Vinci. He looked around for a few seconds as he confusedly stared at the strangers until his eyes met Flora's and a relieved smile came to his face.

"Flora! There you are, flower." He said and Flora stared at him with widened eyes before she approached him and they hugged. The Winx shared a look as they wondered what else Flora could have possibly hidden from them.

"I told you that I'd find her, Leo." Catherine told the man with a bright smile and the man smiled at her.

"And I never doubted you." He replied and Flora pulled apart from him. She barely opened her mouth when Catherine spoke up.

"Now, thanks for bringing the carriages, I can handle it from now on." She told him a bit firmly and the man nodded before he bowed them. He walked towards his carriage, entered it and within seconds the horses were taking it far away from where they were. The Winx wondered whether this was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Okay, then. Now that our ride is here, it's time for us to go, Flora." Catherine told her daughter as she extended her hand. Flora stared at her with raised eyebrows, wondering why her mother would assume that she would just go with her willingly.

"No way! I'm not going anywhere with you." Flora replied while crossing her arms and Catherine sighed.

"Oh, dear, why do you have to force me to be like this?" The older woman asked her a melancholic smile came to her face, surprising everyone even more. What didn't surprise them much was when Catherine pulled out a dagger from her pocket. Helia immediately started walking towards Flora, his first instinct being to protect her. The nature fairy would have thought that this action was really sweet if she hadn't been staring at the knife as she wondered if her mother would be capable of hurting her. The response came a second later when Catherine quickly walked towards the closest person and grabbed her. The knife was placed on her neck and everyone stared at them with widened eyes.

"Tecna!" An exasperated Timmy screamed as he watched the one he loved be threatened. The Winx and Specialists stared at them, some of the boys even reached for their weapons, but they weren't there. So all they could do was stare helplessly and powerlessly as Catherine threatened to kill Tecna.

"Timmy, I'm alright." Tecna told her fiancée and she gave him a reassuring look, though fear was clear on her face. Flashbacks from the Omega incident crossed both of their minds and Timmy knew that he wasn't going to let anyone harm her. He started diving for Catherine when he was held back by Sky, who gave him a warning look. This wasn't the time to be impulsive.

"Mother, what the hell are you doing?" Flora asked her with widened eyes and Catherine cast her another sad smile.

"I assumed that you were going to need convincing, so I brought this just in case." She replied while mentioning to the knife that was pressuring Tecna's throat. Flora shook her head vigorously as more tears fell.

"Let her go! Please, she's got nothing to do with this." She pleaded and Catherine's expression didn't change and she made no movements to let go of Tecna. "I'll do anything you want if you just let her go ." At those words, Catherine's smile grew.

"You can start by entering the carriage." Flora looked between her worried friends and her mother before sighing. She would have never think that her mother would be capable of harming someone she loved, but as she noticed today, Catherine wasn't the same person Flora used to know and the nature fairy could see by the mad glow in her eyes that Catherine would kill Tecna if she didn't comply.

"Okay." There were protests from her friends, but she ignored them and entered the carriage with one last heartbroken look at Helia. Once she disappeared inside it, everyone turned to Catherine and she gave them a cold look.

"Well, I hope that you'll enjoy your stay here." She told them with a smirk before her attention turned to the technology fairy who was attempting to get out of her grasp. "You know, the more you fight against me, the sooner this knife will do the job. So I suggest that you be a good girl and just follow me." She told Tecna firmly and Timmy stared at her with rage.

"Don't you dare talk to her like that! You're a monster." The specialist screamed as he couldn't stop himself from crying at the prospect of losing Tecna.

"Maybe I am a monster." Catherine surprised once again as her grip on the knife loosened a bit and her expression turned back to melancholy. "But there's nothing else that you can do about it." With those words, she carried Tecna to the carriage, entered it and forcefully closed the door. The fairies and specialists watched in despair as the carriage rode away and they were left alone in a world without magic.

In the carriage...

Flora avoided looking at either of the occupants of the carriage as she hoped that this was just a nightmare. Catherine wasn't looking at her either, her attention was focused on tying Tecna up while she kept the knife pressed to her throat. It was no easy task, but she was able to achieve it rather quickly.

"Don't have that look on your face, I'm doing what's best for you." Catherine told her daughter in a scolding tone. Flora raised her eyebrows as she turned back to face her mother.

"Really? So you think that taking me back here and threatening my best friend is the best for me?" She questioned her (apparently) crazy mother.

"If you were to cooperate, I wouldn't have to threaten anyone. Besides, your father is the one who forced you into this, so he should be the one to blame." Flora couldn't really argue with that one, it had been in fact Henry's betrayal that had caused her to run away. But he hadn't been the one to bring her back.

"He didn't go after me and dragged me back here." Flora told her mother coldly. In the meantime, Tecna sat there with her hands tied behind her back, a cloth covering her mouth and a knife pressed to her neck. She was afraid, terrified even that this would be the last the day of her life, that she would never be able to marry Timmy or see him again. But she was a Winx, so she stayed strong and listened carefully to the argument as she tried to understand what was happening.

"He sent others to do it, there are guards searching for you everywhere. Soon we'll be arriving in the palace and I'll pretend that you went to the library." Flora eyed her, surprise clear on her face.

"How long have I been gone here?" She questioned as she wondered why there were people searching for her after 5 years.

"About an hour." Catherine said simply while her attention went to something behind her. Flora was trying to swallow this information when she saw her mother pull back two red capes.

"What are these for?" The nature fairy questioned and Catherine sent her a smile.

"These are to disguise you when we enter the palace. After all, no one will believe my story if they see you coming in." Flora wasn't surprised by her mother's cleverness, Catherine had always shown her that she was one of the few ladies who actually used their brains. One of the capes was thrown at her and Catherine spoke again. "Now put it on." Flora wanted to refuse, but once the knife was way too close to Tecna's throat, she sighed before putting the cape on. After that, it was Tecna's turn and she screamed and kicked, but Catherine was surprisingly strong and there was the knife. Soon they heard the sounds of trumpets and horses and Flora knew it: they had gotten to the palace. She wondered whether that was good or bad.

Back with the Winx and Specialists...

"Okay, now they're gone. What should we do?" Thoren asked as he looked at the rest of them.

"We need to get Stella a doctor, she's bleeding too much." A desperate Brandon screamed at them and they looked at him in worry. The fairy of the shining sun didn't look so good, she was on the verge of unconsciousness and blood kept falling down her back despite the fact that Brandon had put a scarf to attempt to stop the bleeding.

"What about Tecna?" Timmy brokenly asked and Bloom decided to take the lead upon seeing her friends so hopeless and lost.

"First thing we should do is take a moment to consider everything we learned and heard. Maybe then we can figure out where Tecna is." The fairy of the dragon flame told them determinately and firmly.

"Okay, so we're on Earth, but there's no magic here." Aisha went first as she tried to calm down the crying baby in her arms. Lana hadn't stopped since they had got there and the fairy of waves was getting tired. As usual, Nabu picked up on that.

"Aisha, let me hold her for now." He told her and she passed him the baby. He started rocking Lana and it didn't take her too long to calm down.

"And we're also in the 16th century, as Flora told us." Bloom added and Helia looked as angry and desperate as Timmy.

"She's in danger too, I can feel it. We have to find her." He told his friends, so cast him pitiful looks. After all, as hurt as they were by Flora's betrayal, it was much worse for him. But as they knew Helia, his first concern was making sure that she was okay, only later would he worry about the fact that she had lied.

"And we will. But I don't know how we'll do that, we have no idea where they went." Sky unsuccessfully attempted to reassure him.

"Sure we do, they've gone to the palace." Everyone stared at the fairy of music with wide eyes and she smiled sheepishly at them.

"How in the world do you know that?" Riven asked his girlfriend in shock.

"I overheard them saying it. My magic might be gone, but I can still hear from a distance." Musa told them with a smile that was returned.

"That's good, except for the fact that we have no idea on how to get to the palace." Aisha said and Musa's face fell.

"I do, I've been here before. I just need a moment to remember which palace they used back in the 16th century." Bloom told them with a confident smile and she closed her eyes as she tried to recall her trip to Paris many years previously. She remembered many beautiful palaces until her mind set on teh one she had liked the most, because it had a pyramid form. Louvre. "Got it. They're in the Louvre." Smiles came back at this realization.

"So the question now is, how do we get there?" Sky asked and Daphne gasped as she saw three carriages not so far from where they were.

"How about these?" She pointed at them and Thoren gave her a bright smile.

"Brilliant, Daphne." He took her hand and they walked towards the carriages with others following them. Upon getting there, they saw two man who were guarding the carriages and who told them that they'd have to pay to ride. Desperate and not in the mood, the specialists easily took care of the man and they took the carriages. Bloom worked her hardest to recall how they would get to Louvre and they were on their way. As the carriages rode, all Timmy and Helia could think was of their fiancées as they prayed that they would be alright.

So, what did you think? What's Catherine planning? Will Tecna survive? Will the Winx reach her and Flora before it's too late? And, most importantly, will they manage to get back to their world?

Next chapter we'll go back to the Winx's dimension to see how everyone will cope with their disappearance and there will be an explanation to the situation with Catherine and Selina. What are your theories on that?


	18. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Back at the Magic Dimension, chaos is installed once Miss. Faragonda discovers that the Winx are gone. Their parents are called for a meeting where everyone gets aquaintaced with Timmy's parents. Will they manage to find the Winx?

Hellooo, people. This chapter's pretty uninteresting, but there are a few important things. Well, if you were curious about the connection between Selina and Catherine, it is the perfect chapter for you.

Also, I have been watching too many action movies, like Mulan (rewatched for the millionth time) and Charlie's Angels. So I am sorta obsessed with powerful women who know how to fight and therefore we'll be having some cool scenes in this fic. Remember, Flora knows a lot about fighting since Will taught her. So be prepared for some awesomeness.

I guess that's it. Happy reading.

August 10th of 1543...

Catherine Blanchet walked the corridors of the palace with unusual happiness and satisfaction. Everything was going according to her plan and the best part of it was that her relationship with her daughter would stay intact. She was close to singing her favorite melody, so happy she was. She greeted servants and guests as she walked towards the room where Flora would be getting ready for her big day.

"Miss. Catherine." Mary Stuart greeted her as they met near the room. Catherine simply nodded at the young girl as they walked in silence.

"Is she ready yet?" Catherine asked her after a few minutes and Mary nodded.

"Yes. We gave her a few minutes to be alone, but the wedding is about to start, so I came to get her." the young queen responded and Catherine walked faster. Soon they were in front of the door and Mary knocked on the door. There was no answer. Both women shared confused looks, but assumed that the young girl might not have heard them, so they knocked again. No answer. The feeling that something was terribly wrong filled Catherine.

"Why isn't she answering?" Mary muttered, fear clear on her face. She knocked again and there was no answer. Getting sick of this useless game, Catherine opened the door herself and both gasped as they came across an empty room, no signs of Flora anywhere.

"No!" Catherine screamed desperately before she started walking around the room and searching everywhere for her daughter. Mary stood where she was, paralyzed by shock. However, she easily noticed that something was missing from the room.

"The book, it's gone." Catherine stopped at those words as she stared at Mary curiously.

"What book?" She questioned, though she already had an idea of which one it was.

"Tales of the Winx. It has become our favorite book since I got here, we left it on that table." The older woman was barely listening to her as she began understanding what had happened. She wondered if it was truly possible, but she could think of no other way to explain this. However, if she was wrong, then Flora could be in danger, she could be dying. So, with her mind made up, Catherine gave Mary a firm look.

"Okay then. Listen to me very carefully. I want you to warn the king that our daughter is missing. Tell him to send his guards after her, that she could be in danger. Do you understand?" Mary nodded eagerly.

"Yes. I'll tell him right now." Catherine gave the panicked girl a reassuring smile.

"Also, tell him that I'll be looking for her at the library." Mary nodded once again before she left the room. Once she was alone, Catherine sighed. Why did it always need to be something getting in the way of her plans?

"Argh, I knew that book was trouble from the first minute I saw it." She muttered to herself as she recalled the first moment that she had seen "Tales of the Winx". It had been weeks ago and she had come to her chateau late at night and was surprised to find Flora still awake, a small candle lit up by her side. When she saw the book in her daughter's arms, though, the shock went away. But there was something about that book, something powerful that Catherine could feel and she didn't like it.

She had asked Flora to introduced her to the book and the young girl had told her about the magical worlds that existed within it, about fairies and witches and more. Catherine wasn't too happy to hear it, even less happy when she realized that the book had the same energy she had: magic. It was a magical book. Her first instinct had been to stop Flora from reading it, to take it away from her innocent daughter.

But when she had seen the glow in those green eyes and the smile that came to the young girl's face as she talked about her favorite book, Catherine knew that she could never do it. She wouldn't take that happiness away and besides, even if the book was magical, it couldn't act because she had taken magic away from all of Paris. So the book had been left with Flora and Catherine had settled for just keeping an eye on it. Her worries were gone, but now they came back.

"Well, I guess I was wrong about just how powerful that book was, but that's okay. We learn from our mistakes." Catherine kept muttering to herself once she reached the library. It had been about 15 minutes since she had told Mary to tell the king about Flora's disappearance and she was surprised not to hear the ring of bells yet. After all, if the bride's missing, there could be no wedding.

"Okay, let's sit down and focus on what I know about magica books." She attempted to calm herself down and she sat down on one of the many comfortable chairs in the empty library. She recalled conversations she had with her mother about magic, when she learned that white roses were the most powerful of all and something else that would be useful.

"That's it. The book was a portal to that alternative universe of fairies and magic." Catherine smiled to herself for having figured it out before her face fell. "But it's gone now, so how do I get there?" The answer to that question was a bit tricky. She remembered that in order to reach the same universe, you would need the same book. Catherine focused as she tried to dig deeper. That's when she remembered: if you didn't have the book, the only other way you would be able to get to the same reality was to use another one that contained it. It wouldn't be an easy task, but Catherine would do anything to bring her daughter back. She wouldn't give up when she had come this far.

So she stood up and started searching the books, using her own magic to select those that were magical. 40 minutes later, she still hadn't found anything useful, any book that mentioned the Winx or any other characters. She was close to giving up when she found a book with a hard light brown cover and a purple circle in the middle.

It was called The Legendarium, from what she could see. Catherine was exhausted from all the searching and reading, so she read it quickly. It was a good thing that she always payed attention to the smallest details, or else she might have missed the small word that solved all of her problems. Trix. The book mentioned them and Catherine remembered that they were the main villains in "Tales of the Winx".

"I'm guessing this is it, then. Let's give it a try." She told herself before using her own magic to connect to the book and soon she was engulfed in a green light and she disappeared. Only a few seconds later the door to the library opened as King Henry entered it, looking for his lover. The poor man was desperate when he didn't find her, but guessed that she had gone somewhere else to find their daughter. So he left the library and went back to his search.

Back to the present, Alfea...

Miss Faragonda sat in a chair on her office by Miss. Griffin's side as the latter had just been transformed back into her human form. The two friends were catching up on everything that had happened, with the Trix and Selina when there was a knock on the door. The Alfea headmistress was curious as she wondered who would have come this time.

"Come on in." She told the visitor gently and professor Palladium entered the room looking pleased. "Oh, professor Palladium. I'm glad to see you're back. Tell me, how did it go with the Winx?" She eagerly questioned him and the professor smiled.

"I suppose everything went well, I gave Helia the antidote for Flora and I saw the other specialists heading towards the Greenhouse." He told her and both women sighed in relief.

"Well, that's good to hear." Faragonda replied with a bright smile. Miss. Griffin had a cautious look on her face as she thought about something.

"You know, this is weird. Do you really think that the Trix would have such a weak plan as killing one of the fairies? Wouldn't they have something else in mind as they sent Selina here to trick them?" She asked and Miss Faragonda's expression turned to seriousness.

"You are right, Griffin. This seems way too easy." She muttered and Professor Palladium spoke up.

"Maybe you should check out the Greenhouse, headmistress, and see how they're doing. I'll stay here with Miss. Griffin." The young professor suggested and Faragonda cast him a smile.

"Thank you, professor. I'm sure that everything's alright with them, but I'll check it out just in case." After that, she said goodbye to Miss. Griffin and walked out of the room. Soon she found Miss. Griselda, who she asked to accompany her on her visit to the brave fairies and specialists. They reached the Greenhouse a few minutes later and the two women started getting worried as they heard no sounds of battle, as expected. Instead, the closer they got to the Greenhouse, the more silent it would be.

Miss. Faragonda rushed when they were very close to it as she got the feeling that something wasn't right. None of them noticed the figure that quickly hid once she heard their approaching footsteps. Selina was glad for that because now that everyone knew that she had been working for the Trix, she knew that she couldn't get caught.

"My goodness." A terrified Griselda screamed once she noticed that the Greenhouse was in fact empty. The only signs of the Winx and specialists having been there were many weapons tossed around the floor. Miss Faragonda stared at the scene with equal horror.

"This can't be. They were her just a few minutes ago." She muttered as the feeling grew. She approached the potion that had almost been used on Flora and she easily recognized that it was poison.

"Do you think that it was used on Flora?" Miss Griselda asked and Faragonda shook her head.

"I don't think so. It looks like the whole tube was spilled, so they got here in time to save her. But where are they?" Ah, the biggest question of the day. If only they knew.

"What should we do?" Griselda asked and Faragonda had a determined look on her face as she stared at the spilled liquid.

"We have to find them and quick. Could you call the rest of the professors? I'm thinking that this will require an extremely powerful spell." The headmistress commanded and the other woman nodded her head before leaving the room to collect the other teachers. "Oh, Winx, what happened to you?" Miss. Faragonda asked herself as she stared at the scene. Once again she missed the figure that hid behind a huge tree. With a last sad look at the Greenhouse, Faragonda left as she walked to her office.

Once she got there, she wasn't surprised to find all of the teachers were already there since Griselda usually worked fast. "Miss. Faragonda, it's nice to see you." An excited professor Wizgiz told her with a smile. Professor Avalon, however, had a serious expression.

"It was a rather surprising call. Is everything alright?" The blue haired teacher asked them. Miss. Faragonda greeted the teachers with a smile.

"I'm glad that you were able to make it in such short notice. However, I'm afraid that the circumstances we're facing aren't at all good." She told them as her face shifted to determination and seriousness.

"Ah, let me guess, this is about the Winx and Specialists." Headmaster Saladin joked as he entered the room. She gave him a surprise look for she had not told Griselda to call him.

"I assumed we'd need Headmaster's Saladin help in this matter, so I called him." Said woman explained herself and Miss. Faragonda gave a nod before she turned to her comrade.

"Saladin, it's always good to see you." She greeted him warmly and she returned the smile.

"Same here, Faragonda. Now, tell me, what trouble has my grandson and his friends gotten themselves into?" He asked rather playfully and Miss. Faragonda sighed.

"They have disappeared." The statement was received with gasps from the teachers. "And since we have been played by a young girl by the name of Selina, who has been working with the Trix, I have a feeling that they could be in trouble." She continued and this time many of them nodded, understanding what she meant.

"So you wish to do a spell to locate them." Saladin said and she nodded. "Well, let's get to it then. They joined hands and formed a circle as they chanted the spell that should show them the exact location of the Winx and their partners. The spell lasted for a few minutes, though there was nothing. No sign of them. The group finished it and pulled apart.

"This is so strange." The headmaster of Red Fountain commented, his face mixing curiosity and worry.

"Indeed. How could we not locate them?" Palladium added and Miss. Faragonda sighed once again.

"This means that they're not in the magical dimension anymore, or on Earth. So where could they possibly be?" The headmistress muttered and the others shared looks as they thought about it.

"Well, what are we to do now?" Miss. Griselda asked them and Professor Saladin sighed before he answered.

"It's time we call their parents and tell them. In the meantime, we should keep searching. They have to be somewhere, they couldn't have just disappeared." He told them, frustration, worry and determination clear in his expression and tone.

"I'll make the calls then." Miss. Griselda said before excusing herself and Miss. Faragonda turned to the other teachers.

"Could you go back to your classes to tell your students that classes are over for the day before meeting me at the library? I'm gonna need your help to find them." The teachers nodded in response before they excused themselves as well. The always excited Wizgiz was first to leave, then Avalon and lastly Palladium. Once there were only the two headmasters left in the room, they shared a desperate look.

"I sure hope they're okay." Faragonda muttered and Saladin gave her a comforting and reassuring smile.

"They will be fine, they've been through much and we've taught them well. They can handle whatever's being thrown at them." With those words, they shared a friendly hug before leaving for the library.

Back at the Greenhouse...

Selina sighed in relief once the two women finally left the room. She could almost hear the Trix arguing as the trio attempted to understand what had happened and she knew that they would be expecting her to meet them soon. So she quickly used her powers to teleport back to Cloud Tower. As she entered the main room, she was met by angry and suspicious stares from the witches.

"What the hell was that?" Darcy asked before she could say anything.

"Who was that woman?" Stormy quickly added. Only Icy said nothing as she stared coldly at the young girl.

"Sisters, please, let's see if she has the good sense of giving us a very good explanation for this nonsense before we begin questioning her." The ice witch told the two others and they immediately fell quiet as they awaited for Selina to speak.

"Her name's Catherine. I don't know who she is or where she's from, but she has been helping us from the beginning." The trio's suspicious expression was kept as they awaited for more information. "She asked me not to tell you about her, I don't know why. I wanted to, but since she was the one who gave me the power to control the Legendarium, if I did something she didn't want me to, she'd take them away. And then the Winx would be able to defeat us." A smirk came to Icy's face as she listened to it.

"So this woman has been helping us? And she hates the Winx?" She asked Selina, who nodded.

"Wait a minute, didn't Flora call her 'mother' at some point?" Darcy recalled a piece of information that hadn't added up as she heard it.

"I had no idea about that either. All I know is that Catherine's powerful and she wanted to get rid of the Winx. And she did." Selina answered and this caught the interest of the ice witch.

"How can we be sure that she did get rid of them? After all, we only know that they have disappeared and if she's Flora's mother she might not be interested in harming them. She could have been fooling you all this time, Selina." Her expression was dangerous and angry as she stared back at the young witch. Selina gulped, but quickly a good reply came to mind.

"Well, she told me that she was going to send them to a world without magic, so even if she didn't kill them, they wouldn't be able to come back here." Icy looked like she was about to argue again, but Darcy interrupted her before she could speak.

"Maybe we should check it out before jumping to conclusions. Let's do a location spell and see where they are." The witch of darkness suggested and Stormy and Icy smiled.

"That sound like a good idea. Let's do this now. And you, Selina, don't even move. There are more things we need to know." She told Selina threateningly before she surprised her by using her powers to create a sort of cage. With no exit in sight and her life in their hands, Selina thought about Catherine and if it had been truly a good idea to trust her.

The day of Daphne's welcome party...

Selina was in Eldora's cottage as usual while the Fairy godmother had gone out for a walk in the city. The young girl was reading a book as she liked to do sometimes. As per Eldora's request, the Legendarium remained in the desk near the couch, untouchable. After they had discovered that the book was filled with dark magic and it could even bring some legends to life, Eldora had made it clear that they were not to use it ever. Selina understood how dangerous it was, so she ignored her curiosities and focused on reading another book.

It was quiet as she was alone in the small cottage, but she didn't care. She had been used to being alone ever since her parent's death years ago. They had mysteriously passed away in a car accident that Selina sometimes wondered if it was even an accident at all. But as her old friend, Bloom Peters, would say, Selina spent too much time watching crime movies and she was being paranoid. So she had let that theory go and she wondered where Bloom was then, it had been years since she had disappeared and Selina missed her.

It was luck how Eldora had found her only a few weeks after her parent's death. With no living relatives, Selina had been lost as to where she would live and it was almost decided that she would follow to a Foster's home as she was only 16. (suppose that this happened during Season 3, so Selina would be about 4 years younger than Bloom.) Eldora had come to Gardenia and they had become friends and Selina even saw her as a sort of grandmother. She had wished not to have to go to a Foster's home and her wish was granted when Eldora claimed to be her grandmother and managed to convince the authorities to let Selina live with her.

Later Selina found out that Eldora had used magic to convince them and the young girl was glad to discover that she wasn't the only one with powers. The older fairy had taught her everything there was to know about magic and Selina learned easily and quickly. Her powers grew over time and she was even able to achieve her Enchantix by saving Eldora from what would have been a car accident. The fairy godmother had a tendency to be rather distracted and it was a miracle that she was able to avoid accidents like these.

So here they were, 3 years later, as close as ever. Selina turned the page of the book when there was a sudden green glow in the room. Fearing what it might be, the young girl transformed into her Enchantix form. She watched as the Legendarium suddenly opened up and a woman appeared. It was clear from the first moment that she had magical powers as well.

"Now that's done." The woman whispered to herself as she looked around the cottage. Upon spotting the scared looking fairy, she gave her a warm smile. "Hello, dear. There's no need to be afraid, I have no intention of harming you." Selina gave her a suspicious look as she didn't move or let go of her transformation.

"Who are you?" She asked and the woman sighed.

"Miss. Catherine is what you should call me. Now, could you tell me exactly where I am?" Selina was shocked, but she answered her.

"We're in Gardenia." The woman had had a thoughtful look on her face and Selina guessed she was trying to see if the name rang any bells. Soon her expression turned to a smile.

"Gardenia, of course. This is Earth, isn't it?" Now Selina was even more confused.

"Hmm, yes? Where else could it be?" She questioned and the woman resigned from answering. She walked around the cottage, her long blonde hair flowing in the soft breeze.

"You have yourself a beautiful place, dear. Tell me, are your parents home?" The woman asked and Selina sighed before lowering her head and avoiding eye contact.

"No, they died years ago. I live with my grandma." She told the woman, who gave her a pitiful look.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear about that. I wish I could stay and chat, but I've got work to do." She said before walking towards the door. Selina never understood why, but the thought of the woman leaving made her feel sad and empty.

"Wait! Would you like a cup of coffee?" She asked the woman politely and a smile was sent her ways.

"That would be nice, though I would prefer tea." Catherine walked towards the nearest chair and sat down as Selina went to the kitchen. The young girl wasn't sure why it had caught Catherine's interest, but once she got back to the living room, the blonde woman was holding the Legendarium. "This seems like such an interesting book. It's magical, isn't it?

"Yes, but you shouldn't read it. If you do so, some of teh legends may come to life and cause trouble." The young girl told her and Catherine had a curious smile on her face.

"Is that so? Definitely interesting." For the next few minutes, they drank the tea and coffee in silence. It was broken by the sound of the door closing as Eldora came back from her trip.

"Selina, where are you?" The chirpy older woman yelled as she entered the house while many bags flew behind her. Upon spotting said girl and the mysterious woman drinking coffee, she eyed them suspiciously for a second before her face broke into a grin. "Oh, isn't that nice, we have visitors." She said excitedly and Catherine raised her eyebrows in confusion, not expecting such nice treatment.

"It's, hmm, nice to meet you. My name's Catherine and I accidentally brought myself here. I'm not so good at using magic, so I missed the place " She stood up and explained herself to Eldora. The older woman just smiled at her.

"That's fine, we're just surprised. So you have magic too?" At the last comment, Selina noticed the raised eyebrows that signaled Eldora was confused. The young girl recalled how Eldora had told her that there weren't many fairies on Gardenia, they were rare there and she only knew one more.

"Yes, I do. I came from France and I was trying to find...someone." Both women noticed the pause before the last word, but they chose to ignore it.

"And did you find them?" Eldora asked curiously and Catherine shook her head.

"Not yet. As I said, magic isn't my strong suit and I ended up here by mistake. I guess they must have been here." She said and Eldora, always ready to help someone in need, smiled brightly at her.

"Well, I'm sure that I can help you find that someone. Will you hold on for a second as I pick up something?" Catherine nodded, surprised once again by such kindness and desire to help her. She was left alone with Selina for a few more minutes until Eldora came back with a huge crystal ball. The blonde woman stared at it suspiciously and Eldora quickly explained.

"This can show you where anyone is with a simple spell. I'll be needing something that belongs to them, though. Do you have anything?" Now this Catherine could do. She had brought nothing belonging to the one she was searching for, but she knew a spell to make it appear. Within seconds, a book appeared, titled "Romeo and Juliet".

Catherine handed it to Eldora and the fairy godmother put it on top of the ball before she concentrated and a bright light involved both objects. Soon the light faded and the ball showed six girls who were laughing together at a party. Catherine stared at them as her eyes met the one she was searching for and confusion came to her face.

"Have you found what you were looking for, Miss. Catherine?" Eldora asked after a few minutes and Catherine nodded.

"Yes, I have. I'm guessing that they're far away from here, so I'll resume my search later. Thank you for such a warm welcome and your help. I must be on my way." Again that feeling came to Selina, so she stopped Catherine before she could reach the door.

"Why don't you stay here for tonight? It's already dark outside and we wouldn't mind." Catherine turned back with a smile.

"I would like that very much. Thank you."

One night turned into two and soon it was as if Catherine was living there with them. The two friends came to like her easily and she was also very useful. The blonde woman suggested that she cleaned the cottage as a way of thanking them for letting her stay there. Selina spent most of her time there with her so they grew close and about 6 days later, Catherine told her about her plan that involved an alliance with 3 witches and unlimited power.

At first the young girl wasn't so excited about the idea, but as a few more days passed and Catherine told her about many things Eldora had never mentioned to her, like other worlds built with magic and a school for fairies like herself, Selina was convinced. One night, she had a fight with Eldora about it and the older woman argued that she had been trying to protect her. Selina would have none of it, so she stole the Legendarium and fled with Catherine. They went to Cloud Tower after Catherine had granted the young girl the power to bring all of the legends in the book to life so that she could impress the three witches. The plan was clear: make an alliance with the Trix, destroy the Winx and become one of the rulers of the entire Magic Dimension while working for evil.

Of course, every plan has many sides and there was one Selina wasn't aware of. First, she had no idea that Bloom would be involved in the plan and second, she had no idea of Catherine's reasons behind it. She didn't know that the blonde woman wasn't actually planning on getting rid of all the Winx, that there was one she wanted to be left alive. Selina wasn't aware that what Catherine truly wanted was to bring Flora back to their world or who Flora even was. That was a secret that Selina wouldn't discover until that day with the Trix.

Back to present, Alfea...

Queen Luna and King Radius were the first ones to get to Alfea after the news of the Winx's disappearance was shared. The couple who had recently gotten back together ran along the corridors of the school and towards the Headmistress's office with shock weighing on them. After all, they had heard many bad things related to Stella, but something about the desperation in Miss. Griselda's voice made them extra worried this time.

"Miss. Faragonda." King Radius greeted the headmistress as they arrived in her office. She cast them a gentle and sad smile.

"King Radius and Queen Luna. You didn't have to come all the way here." She commented and Luna shook her head.

"No, we truly did. Have you had any luck in finding Stella and the others?" She asked and Miss. Faragonda sighed before shaking her head.

"No, we haven't. But we will find them." The headmistress promised. Before they could share their thanks, the door to the office opened and in came Alyssa and Rollos, Flora's parents and Ho-boe, Musa's father. Their faces showed identical shock and surprise. They greeted the headmistress politely and she gave them the same warm smile as she promised them that their daughters would be found.

"Miss. Faragonda." Another voice came, belonging to Queen Marion, Bloom's mother. She was accompanied by King Oritel and Sky's parents, Samara and Erendor.

"I'm glad you came here, though you didn't have to. I just wanted to let you know about the girl's situations, even though we haven't had any leads." Miss. Faragonda replied and the queen of Domino sighed.

"This is so terrible. Our poor girls, haven't they been through enough?" King Oritel comfortingly put a hand on her shoulder.

"They're strong, Marion, and I have full confidence that they will be able to face whatever's happening to them." He told her determinately and Queen Niobe, who had just arrived at the scene with her ill husband, showed her disagreement.

"They sure are strong, but from what Miss. Griselda has told us, they're not in the Magic Dimension anymore. How will they be able to handle being somewhere else?" She questioned the remaining parents in the room. Looks of unsureness and fear were shared between them as Niobe settled herself on a red chair as she put King Therendor's wheelchair by her side. He looked worse than the last time any of the other parents had seen him, his face was more pale and he looked completely drained.

"How is the treatment for King Therendor going?" Marion curiously asked the queen of Andros, who sighed deeply.

"Not so great. We haven't had many changes in the past few days and no one has figured out what the problem is yet." She gave her husband a sad look as the thought of losing him came to mind. It was rather upsetting, specially considering that their only daughter was now missing.

"I'm sorry to hear that. If you need medical help, we'd be glad to offer our best doctors." King Oritel told them a smile was shared between them. Queen Niobe's reply was interrupted by the entrance of the missing parents. Magnethia and Electronio, Tecna's parents, were followed by another couple that the other parents didn't recognize.

"Good evening, everyone. We have come here as quick as we could after we heard about the girl's predicament." Magnethia greeted the silent room unaware of the reason behind the quietness. Her husband was quick to add more as the room remained silent.

"Actually, dear, we could have been quicker if we hadn't met Timmy's parents along the way, which added in 10 more minutes. Therefore, not our fastest." Everyone stared wide eyed at the couple before Queen Marion laughed.

"Well, we haven't met before, but I am sure now that you are Tecna's parents." She told them with a smile that was returned by Tecna's mother.

"Indeed we are. Tecna's never introduced before because that's not tradition in Zenith. But we're happy to meet you, Queen Marion and King Oritel." The couple didn't ask her how she knew who they were, being royals, they could guess. The next few minutes Tecna and Timmy's parents introduced themselves to everyone, except for Ho-boe, Alyssa and Rollos, who already knew them.

"Claire is a beautiful name." Queen Niobe commented as she talked to Timmy's mother.

"Thank you." She responded simply and her husband snaked an arm around her shoulder in a rare show of affection that was unusual between zenithians.

"It means bright, therefore it's very fitting. My wife has been the brains behind every invention I ever made." Hugo told everyone with a smile as Claire hit him in the arm playfully.

"Honey, you're exaggerating." She told him, but Electronio interrupted her.

"No, really, from what I've seen you truly are intelligent." She smiled at him, but before the conversation could go any further, Miss. Faragonda called for their attention.

"As much as I appreciate seeing you bonding, we have important matters to discuss here." Once everyone had turned to look at her, she continued. The Winx Club and the Specialists are missing. We weren't able to find them anywhere in the Magic Dimension and so I am extremely worried. We need to find them and fast." She told them firmly and determinately.

"Then I suggest that we help on this search. We'll send out guards to look for them." King Oritel said once the headmistress was finished. The kings and queens sent their agreements with nods.

"What about us, who aren't royals? How can we help?" A worried looking Alyssa asked the king of Domino.

"We'll search for them ourselves." Electronio answered her. "My wife and I have many objects with advance technology that could help us find them. We can lend them to you, Miss. Alyssa and Mr. Rollos and you can use them to see if they can be found in Limphea. That way we can cover more space in shorter time." A smile came to Rollos' face.

"That's surely a great idea, searching on our own planets. I appreciate your help." He told the technology master, but soon Queen Marion spoke up and showed them the inconsistency of that plan.

"Are you forgetting that the Winx are no longer in the Magic Dimension? Searching on our planets would grant us no result." She warned them and Claire soon showed her disagreement.

"I disagree. We know that they didn't leave by their own fault, so there's someone who doesn't want them to be found. Someone evil. And so, perhaps they could be tricking us into believing that they're not longer in the Magic Dimension." Surprised looks followed her statement, but many people agreed with her.

"Okay, then. So we'll send a search party in all of the planets and also on Earth. Are we all in favor of that plan?" King Oritel said and many of the parents nodded in agreement or vocalised it. Only one couple didn't say anything, so worried looks were sent Queen Niobe's way. She wasn't even paying attention to them, though, she was too busy trying to wake up her husband, who had suddenly dropped.

"Please, help!" The heartbroken queen pleaded and within seconds Queen Marion had gone to her side and Queen Faragonda had conjured a bed. King Oritel and King Radius helped each other in putting the unconscious king of Andros in the bed as Queen Niobe was comforted by Marion. She couldn't stop herself from crying at the sight of her husband so still.

"Will you gentlemen take him to the nurse's office?" Miss Faragonda asked the two kings who had helped Therendor and they nodded before pushing the bed all the way there. Queen Niobe stayed with Marion for a few more minutes as she calmed herself down before she followed to the nurse's office as well. After she was gone, all the parents started leaving as well, ready to perform their part in the plan. Alyssa, Rollos and Ho-boe followed Tecna and Timmy's parents to Zenith as they had agreed to get the machines they would use to find the Winx. It was a day full of terrible news, but as the parents found themselves going home with a great plan in mind, they were certain that they would find their daughters. Unfortunately, they had no idea just how much the Winx's disappearance would affect them.

Back in Cloud Tower...

The Trix came back after a few minutes to find Selina exactly where she had been left. The young girl didn't know whether the smirks on their faces was a good or a bad sign. "Well, seems like you were right, Selina." Icy told her as she undid the ice that had trapped her.

"The Winx are gone and they won't be coming back anytime soon." Darcy added with a delighted smile.

"So what does this mean?" Selina asked them cautiously.

"It means that you are forgiven and you can stay with us." Stormy said, though her tone made it clear this wasn't her decision.

"And it also means that this is time to move up our plan. We'll be able to conquer the entire Magic Dimension in no time." Icy said and the three witches laughed in delight. Everything was going just perfect.

So what did you think about Selina X Eldora and SelinaXCatherine? I had to change most of the story between the first two since the one we were given didn't make much sense. It was so hard cause Selina was said to be Bloom's best friend and yeat when Bloom's around 21, she's shown to be a freshmen, therefore around 16. I hope my story made sense.

What about the scenes with the teachers and the parents? Did you like the names I chose for Timmy's parents? And will they be able to find the Winx?

Ah, one thing I should make clear here: As I said on chapter 16, magical books can work as portals between different worlds. In this case, the Legendarium was another portal and it had two copies in two different worlds. "Tales of the Winx" does too, though it won't be too important to the story. I hope you were able to understand that.


	19. Trapped

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following chapter 17, Tecna and Flora are taken to the palace and Catherine makes a deal with her daughter that could ruin her life. Will the Winx be able to stop Catherine? And Will Flora follow through?

Hello, people. As promised, here we have the next chapter and one of my personal favorites. 

Fist, let's get some important things cleared up:

I'm sure many of you might have been confused on why Flora was apparently able to use her own magic to go into the book. First of all, there is still magic in Paris, but Catherine has stolen it and only she (and Nostradamus) should be able to use it. Second, consider that the situation regarding Flora and her magic is like in S1 when the Trix stole Bloom's dragon flame. Her power is still there, though since Flora grew up without knowing it existed, it was never used.

I remember someone in Winx said that magic is linked to emotions, so consider that Flora was filled with negative emotions in the end of chapter 16 and also that she was holding "Tales of the Winx", which is a magical and powerful book. Her magic was unlocked due to her being very emotional and the book's magic was linked to her magic. Imagine just what a powerful force that would be. So, not even Catherine would be able to stop it from acting. Hope that made sense.

Another thing I'm sure you've noticed and might not have understood is the passage of time. Time goes by differently in the book and in the "real world", which is why the 5 years that passed for the Winx never occurred in the other reality. So, when they came back, it had only been an hour since Flora disappeared.

Third, there are some characters that will be present here that you might not remember. So, just to remind you:

Mary: Will's ex-wife, queen of Scotland, Flora's sister in law and close friend.

Greer: Mary's lady, Flora's friend and married to Leith.

Lola: Mary's lady, Flora's friend and married to Collin. She's also about 5 months pregnant with their first child.

Kenna: Mary's lady, Flora's friend and going out with Lord Sebastian.

I apologize in advance, cause this is so freaking long. Seriously, good luck reading it.

Catherine, Flora and Tecna left the carriage with the two fairies hiding behind the capes. They passed through the guards rather easily due to Catherine's influence, though there were some weird and confused looks from the guards. The blonde woman walked fast as Flora attempted to keep up with her and Tecna was dragged with them. The knife didn't leave Tecna's throat and the nature fairy found no way to free her friend without possibly causing her death.

Once they entered the palace, Catherine asked two guards to come to them, much to Flora's confusion. She whispered something in their ears and it was unlucky of them that Musa wasn't there to tell them what she had said. After that, the guards unceremoniously grabbed Tecna and started taking her away.

"No! Let her go!" Flora screamed and tried to reach for her, but Catherine stopped her.

"Will you please be quiet? They're taking her to a secret place where she will remain until you've fulfilled your part in the agreement." Her mother whispered the last part and Flora felt afraid of her for the first time in her life. She got out of her mother's grip with difficulty before looking back at Tecna. She knew that she wouldn't be able to save her now, but she sure wished she could. She cast Tecna an apologizing look as the technology fairy was taken to the secret location.

"What agreement are you talking about?" Flora asked once they were gone as she looked back at her mother.

"It's simple, dear. You're going to fulfill your duty by marrying James and I will let your good for nothing friends live." Shock filled her at such an unfair request and she immediately shook her head.

"No way. I'm not marrying James. Why are you suddenly obsessed with that?" She asked as she recalled how it was her father who had pushed her to do this, while her mother just silently agreed.

"I'm not obsessed with it, Flora. I simply want what's best for you and our family, as I've said before. Now, come to the library. We need to tell your father that you're here." Catherine took her arm and dragged her towards the library. Upon getting there, Flora noticed that her wedding dress was in one of the chairs.

"Why is it here?" She questioned, confused.

"We have to make sure that there are no loose strings in this story. So, now you can put it on." Flora gave her an incredulous look, but once she remembered that Tecna's life was hanging in the balance, she let out a sigh before picking up the dress. Within minutes, she was wearing it and there was a knock on the door. Catherine answered it and King Henry entered, looking worried.

"Flora!" He screamed upon spotting her and he ran to her so that he could hug her. She was too shocked by seeing her father again after so long that she didn't react to the hug at all. He noticed her stillness and pulled apart to look at her sternly. "Don't ever scare me like that again, okay? I can't bear the thought that something might happen to you." After a warning look from Catherine, Flora sighed before she played her part.

"I'm sorry, father. I came back here to have some alone time before the wedding and I picked up a book to put it back in the shelves. But you know how I am with books, I found myself reading it and completely forgot about the wedding. Will you please forgive me?" She guessed by the look on his face that he had bought her story and she internally smiled.

"Ah, I do know how you are. Well, there's no harm done. We'll just continue the wedding as if nothing happened." Catherine shook her head at this comment, much to Flora's surprise.

"Henry, we can't just continue the wedding like this. Didn't you notice how her hair is undone and the dress isn't so right? She needs to get fixed before the wedding." Henry looked between the two woman in confusion before his eyes widened.

"But that's true. James won't want to marry you like this, no you need to be perfect. Why don't you take her back to her bridesmaids and tell them to fix her up quickly?" He turned to Catherine, who nodded before she and Flora left the room and went towards where Mary, Greer, Kenna and Lola were waiting for her.

Back with the Winx...

The group of 12 reached the palace within an hour and they prayed that they would still have time to find Tecna. As they looked at the many guards around the palace, they started panicking.

"How are we going to get in?" Musa asked them and once again Daphne found a solution.

"Over there." She pointed to a great oak tree not far from where they were.

"That's perfect, Daphne. And look, it's close to a window." Bloom said while looking proudly at her older sister. For the next few minutes, everyone reached the tree, thankfully without catching the guard's attention. They were also lucky that said window was open, so they easily entered the palace.

"Okay, now what?" Riven asked impatiently. Musa put a hand over his mouth and he looked at her, shocked.

"Shhh. I can hear Flora's voice. She's not far from here." The fairy of music said while she concentrated.

"So can you lead us to her?" Bloom asked and Musa nodded. For the next few minutes, everyone followed her through many halls and they received many weird looks from richly dressed people that they ignored. Thankfully, no guard came after them. Soon they reached a wooden door and now everyone could hear Flora's voice and also other people they did not recognize. They shared a determined look before Musa opened the room.

Inside the dressing room...

Mary was doing Flora's hair once again as the other ladies stared at them. The 4 girls had made an agreement not to say anything about Flora's disappearance, but some of them were finding it way too hard. Greer and Lola sat in their chairs in silence while Kenna paced back and forth. After a few minutes, she was no longer able to contain herself.

"You ran away, didn't you?" She startled Flora and Mary, causing Mary to drop Flora's hair and almost undo the braid that she had been trying to do.

"Kenna!" Greer screamed from her chair as she held her hand to her heart, shock clear on her face.

"You can't just scream like that." A stressed Lola added as she held her stomach as she moaned in pain.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Are you okay, Lola?" Kenna apologized quickly after watching her friend. Lola closed her eyes for a few seconds and sighed.

"I'm fine, the baby just kicked hard. You startled her, but we're okay." Kenna sighed in relief after hearing this before her attention went back to Flora.

"So, now that you're not so mad at me, can you tell me? I'm dying to know what happened." She pleaded and Flora laughed at the look on her face.

"Okay, okay. What do you want to know?" She asked the brunette, who repeated the same question from before.

"Oh,yes. I did." Flora lowered her head as she awaited for them to tell her that it had been a stupid idea, that she was letting her family and her country down and that she shouldn't have done it.

"I'm sorry it didn't work out." Greer surprised her and Flora was glad to spot an understanding look on her face.

"Where did you go?" Mary asked curiously as she walked back to stare at the braid she had done. Flora shook her head.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." They gave her questioning looks, but before anyone could speak, the door opened.

"What the hell?" Musa asked once all of the Winx and Specialists had filled the room. Mary and her ladies stared at the guests in confusion and disbelief, but their attention was focused on Flora.

"Why the hell are you in a wedding dress?" Stella asked with widened eyes. Flora sighed deeply, but Kenna responded for her.

"Maybe because she's getting married." The brunette said sarcastically and everyone turned back to look at her. "Not that anyone's happy about that."

"Kenna, don't you recognize them? It's the Winx!" Greer told her excitedly and shockingly.

"But how did they get here?" Lola asked her friends and the Winx just stood there as they tried to understand how these complete strangers knew who they were.

"Now that's a very long story." Flora muttered and as she wished that she could just disappear.

"Girl, you have some explaining to do." Greer told her, hands on her waist as she cast Flora a suspicious look.

"She sure does." Bloom added and the Winx nodded. Flora opened her mouth, but she said nothing. She had no idea how to start explaining to them, but then a word reminded her of why she was here.

"Tecna." She muttered and this caused Timmy to leave his shocked position and walk in front of the Winx as he looked at her angrily and desperately.

"Where is she? Is she safe?" He asked her and upon seeing the look on Flora's face, he dropped to his knees. "No, it can't be." He muttered and Flora was quick to interrupt his sorrow.

"She's not dead, but I have no idea where she is. She's in danger." The nature fairy told them anxiously.

"Then we have to get to her." Bloom said firmly as she looked at her friends. "But first you have to explain to us what is going on here." Flora shook her head.

"No, there's no time for that now. Tecna is more important." They looked at her in confusion and Greer spoke once again.

"So let me get this straight, you have somehow become friends with the Winx? How in the world did that happen?"

"And how did they even get here if they're not real?" Kenna added.

"Hello, we're very real and we're standing right here." Stella said as she pointed at herself. The rest of the Winx had offended looks on their faces.

"People, can you please stop talking for one second. I can't think." Flora sternly told them as she noticed that Musa was about to send in another comment. They looked at her once again and were surprised to find their usually calm friend was looking anxious and desperate.

"Flora, please." Helia pleaded and she looked at him, her heart breaking at the look on his face and the thought that she would have to break his heart.

"No. Don't look at me like that, please. You're making this even harder than it has to be." She told him brokenly.

"So this is hard for you? You're not the one that just found out that the one you love has lied to you about pretty much everything!" Helia lost control for once and she remained silent and let him get it out of his system.

"Wait on a second, is this what I think it is?" Lola asked as she looked between the two of them. She had noticed the interaction between them, had seen the way Helia looked at her and she knew what this was.

"God, Flora, you're even more messed up than I thought." Kenna said and Mary and Greer sent her warning looks. "Don't look at me like that. I'm not the only one who thinks that." They sighed in defeat and Flora would have apologized, begged for their forgiveness if she hadn't been so focused on the one she loved.

"Helia, I have lied to you and I am sorry. I never meant to hurt you, all I wanted was a fresh start without the past to haunt me. That didn't work out so well." She sighed and ignored the looks that were sent her way. He was more important now, he needed to know the truth. "Do you remember the day when we got back together after the misunderstanding with Krystal?" A small smile came to his face as he recalled that day and she smiled too. The others watched the couple in silence, understanding that they needed this moment alone, even though they weren't.

"It's impossible to forget that day, it was the day I knew that I wanted to marry you, that I settled it." Greer, Mary and Lola gasped and they looked at the couple in confusion.

"I told you that day that I love you and I always will. That is the truth and it has always been. Do you believe me?" She let him look at her and she kept her determined face. He analyzed her and soon his smile enlarged.

"You're telling the truth and I know it. But that leaves the question, why are you apparently getting married today, and to someone that clearly isn't me?" The intensity in his look was overwhelming, it was one of those times when he took her breath away with just one look from these midnight blue eyes. She sighed before answering.

"Because if I don't go through with this wedding, Tecna will be killed and I'll never be able to forgive myself." All hell broke loose after these words.

"Wait, what! Who's gonna kill Tecna?" Lola asked in confusion and Bloom quickly spoke.

"It's your mother, isn't it?" The red haired fairy looked alarmed and ready to attack. Sky gently held her arms as he sensed her agitated state.

"Wouldn't put it past her, she did threaten Tecna before." Musa added with a frown. Before anyone else could speculate, Flora answered them.

"Yes, apparently my mother has either gone mad or made a pact with the devil because she made it clear that if I don't do this Tecna won't live to see another day. I don't know why she's suddenly so obsessed with this marriage." Flora told them, anger and fear clear in her tone.

"So we have to find her now, so you won't have to get married and no one will get hurt." Timmy said from his spot near Musa and Riven. Flora shook her head desperately.

"We'll never find her in time, she's kept in a secret location and the wedding will be at any minute now." She gave a defeated sigh. Silence filled the room as each of them were lost in their own thoughts. Soon, a cry startled them and some even jumped.

"What is that?"Greer asked fearfully.

"I'm sorry, guys, I guess Lana wants to join the conversation too." Mary and her ladies shared confused glances as they wondered who Aisha had talked about, but it was clear as they noticed the squirming baby in Nabu's arms.

"What a cute baby!" Lola excitedly said as she stared at the little girl, who stopped crying after a few seconds and stared at her curiously.

"Thank you. She's only about a month old." Aisha replied before she took one good look at Lola. "If you don't mind me asking, how far along are you?" She carefully asked and Lola laughed before putting a hand in her stomach.

"About 4 months, I think. Collin and I are sure that she'll be a little girl too. I hope she's as cute as this one." Lola gestured to little Lana with a huge smile. Before the Winx and specialists could question who Colin was, the door to the room opened and in came two young man Flora easily recognized.

"Leith!" She said excitedly and he smiled at her.

"Now here's our missing bride. I'm glad to see you're okay." Leith was confused at why the man with blue hair was glaring at him, but he chose to ignore it.

"Hey, honey. What are you two boys doing here?" Greer asked as she stared at him.

"The wedding will be starting in a few minutes, so we came to get you. Again." Collin answered this one as he went to Lola's side and the two shared a hug. Upon noticing Flora's sad expression, Leith attempted to cheer her up.

"Hey, don't worry, Flo. If that guy's as bad as Kenna's saying, Collin and I are ready to kick his ass." She couldn't help but laugh at his words.

"Thanks, Leith." She told him and Greer rolled her eyes.

"Honey, you're getting ahead of yourself now. If you ever were to kick James' ass, you'd be sentenced to death and I would be very mad at you." She told her husband seriously and Leith laughed at her expression.

"I love you too, Greer." He told her sarcastically and she playfully hit him in the arm.

"Okay, guys, not to bring you anymore down, but Stella's fallen unconscious. She needs medical help immediately." Brandon told them and everyone turned back to look at him as he carried Stella.

"Oh, right, I had almost forgotten about that. Mary, do you think that you could take them to the doctor?" The young queen was surprised, but she nodded.

"Sure. I guess we better leave the explanations for later, right?" Flora nodded and Mary walked towards Brandon, who looked at her suspiciously.

"Don't worry, Brandon, Mary can be trusted." The brunette specialists argued.

"Right now I'm not sure you can't be trusted, so sorry if I'm not willing to take your word." Everyone looked back at Flora as they awaited for her response.

"I think that you're not understanding that whether you want it or not, you're gonna have to trust me. If you don't, you'll never survive in here. And besides, I'm sure that my mother doesn't plan on letting you live, so I am your only chance." Her harsh words surprised the Winx and Specialists.

"I guess we don't really have a choice. Tecna's life is at stake here, so we'll trust you." Bloom interfered before a great argument could begin and the Winx showed their agreement.

"Bloom's right. We've got no time to waste. So, Flora, what do we do now?" Aisha turned to her best friend with unexpected warmth and trust. After all, they were the closest amongst the six friends and Aisha could see, better than anyone but Helia, that Flora didn't wish for any harm to come to them and that she was sorry. So the fairy of waved decided it would be better if she helped instead of arguing.

"First thing is you need to look like you belong here, so do you think that you can take them to my chateau so that the girls can borrow some of my gowns?" Flora looked back at Mary, who nodded.

"Of course. And since your mother and Leonardo will be at the ceremony, it will be empty." Flora then turned to Leith.

"Think you can lend them some suits, just for today?" Leith smiled at her.

"I can try, but I don't think I have enough of them." He warned as he looked back at the 7 specialists.

"I can take them to Will's chambers, there will be enough suits there." Mary spoke and no one missed how her voice shook at his name.

"So you know Will too?" Aisha couldn't stop herself from asking and she blushed when all eyes went back to her.

"Of course I do, he is, well was my husband." Mary gave out a broken sob and Flora was quick to reach her and they embraced.

"I know, I know." The nature fairy repeated as she rocked the young queen and it was such a heartbreaking scene that most of the anger the Winx and Specialists felt towards Flora disappeared. The two friends stayed like that for a few minutes as the others remained silent until the door opened once again. This time it was a man in his late 30s and he wore a green suit and a huge crown on his head. He looked at the unexpected guests curiously until he saw Flora.

"Are you ready, princess?" He asked her and Flora nodded sadly.

"Yes, father." He cast her a gentle smile before extending his arms. Flora gave Mary a squeeze in the shoulder and a smile before she walked towards her father and linked arms with him.

"Wait! Your forgot the bouquet." Greer said before they could leave and she quickly handed Flora the bouquet of white roses. After that, Greer, Lola, Kenna, Leith and Colin left the room after Flora and her father as they went to the wedding. Mary gestured for the Winx and Specialists to follow her and so they left.

At the wedding...

The door to the grand room opened and Greer, Lola and Kenna walked in with their partners, Lord Sebastian having chosen to accompany the fiery brunette. The 6 of them walked towards the altar with grace as the ladies spread flowers all across the room.

Soon it was Flora's turn and all eyes were on her as she crossed the room with Henry. Many took note of her sad expression, knowing that an arranged marriage doesn't mean a happy one. James waited for her at the altar and she had to admit that he looked very handsome with his suit, though she knew that she could never love him, not the day she did with Helia. As she approached James, Henry gave him a firm look before the young man took Flora's hand and held it as they turned to look at the priest.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here to join these two people together in holy matrimony and therefore form an alliance between France and Ireland." The priest opened the ceremony and everyone sat down and listened. There were a few prayers, a big lecture and soon it was time for the I do's. The Winx and Specialists had come in quietly in the middle and they were sitting in the back of the room, trying not to call attention to themselves.

"Do you, prince James, take Flora Blanchet to be your wife for as long as you may live?" James cast her a smile that she didn't return as he said the words everyone expected him to say.

"I do." Then it was her turn. As the priest asked her, Flora took a look around the room and soon her eyes met Helia's. He was standing at the back of the room wearing a suit she recognized as Will's favorite. Her heart broke even more as he looked at her, so sad and desperate and she knew that he wanted nothing more than to rescue her from this marriage. As she stared into these midnight blue eyes, there was nothing more that she wanted to do than to ran to him and hug him.

She was so close to doing it, but then her eyes met her mother's. Catherine stood by Henry's side, a nervous look on her face. When she caught Flora staring at her, she gave her daughter a sad smile before she gestured to the knife safely hidden in her dress as Flora was aware and the nature fairy remembered that her best friend's life was depending on her saying I do. So, that's what she did.

"I do." She was sure that she sounded nervous and unsure, but the priest didn't seem to mind for he continued the ceremony.

"Then, by the power invested in me by God, I pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." The guests of the party stood up and clapped as they awaited for the couple to kiss. Flora made no movement to do so and James gave her a look.

"Come on, Flora. We have to do this, for our countries." She glared at him, but she didn't have much time to think about her next move as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer, not so gently. She gasped in surprise and before she knew it, he was kissing her. She wanted to push him away, wanted to stop this, but the memory of Tecna lingered in her mind. Soon James pulled apart from her and both turned to face the crowd with happy, fake smiles.

"This is truly a special occasion and so I have an announcement to make." Everyone stopped what they were doing to look at the king of France. "As I am sure many of you are aware, my only son and the heir to the throne passed away a few days ago. As heartbreaking as that was, I knew that I needed to act fast to ensure the future of our great nation. That is why, against many of your wishes, I will be crowning my daughter, miss. Flora Blanchet, the princess of France and the next in line for the throne." There were whispers and disagreements from the guests, some even screamed at King Henry, but he remained calm and awaited for it to end. Once the room was silent, he continued. "This is what's best for France and as its king, I must always choose what's best for our great nation." He finished his speech and many people noticed the way Catherine rolled her eyes at his words.

After the speech, Flora was crowned princess and she received the crown that had belonged to her late grandmother, Queen Claude. It felt heavy on her head, as if it represented the weight of France. She ignored the congratulations, the cheers and the insults that were thrown at her and she left the room after telling her father to begin the afterparty and that she would be going to the bathroom. The excuse worked and soon Henry was calling everyone to begin the party.

The nature fairy mentioned for the Winx to follow her as she walked to the gardens. Mary and her ladies did too as they were just as impatient to hear her story. Only Kenna followed a different direction and they didn't wonder much on that as they assumed she had gone to meet Sebastian. Flora reached the great oak tree where she had spent countless moments with Will, where he had taught her how to fight and where he had told her that he was falling for Mary just weeks after her arrival at Paris. She had to hold back tears as she thought of her brother, but she knew that there were more important things now.

"So, now that the wedding's done, can we get started on the explanations?" Stella said impatiently as they sat down around Flora. The fairy of the sun had had a hard time due to the doctor's attempt to stop her bleeding. She had been given badly done stitches on the wound on her head while she had been conscious and, as she kept saying, that hurt like hell.

"That would be nice." Aisha said as she sat on Nabu's lap with Lana safely in her arms. The little girl played with her mother's dress as she let out a few cries. Nabu had wrapped his arms around Aisha and she rested comfortably on his chest. Most of the other couples did the same, with the exception of Musa and Riven. Timmy and Helia sat down alone, though the blue haired specialist was by Flora's side. Everyone could feel the tension and awkwardness between them.

"So, Flo, you can start?" Flora was about to when another thing came to her mind.

"Tecna's not safe yet." She replied and Timmy sighed.

"So how do we get her? Didn't you say that she was in a secret location?" He asked her and Flora nodded.

"She is and I'm not sure that I'll have much time to look for her. My parents or my... husband will probably come looking for me soon." She stated frustratingly and Helia sighed.

"Then you should get back to them. Or else they'll get suspicious and I'm sure your mother wouldn't be thrilled to find us here." They shared a look in which she tried to apologize and he tried to tell her that it was okay. He knew her well and he could easily see how much she was hurting. Helia wasn't a jealous guy or an angry one, so he wasn't mad at her.

No, his love for her spoke higher than anger and he was too concerned about her situation to be jealous of James. Besides, it was clear that she had no feelings for the other man, though there was a small voice in his head that kept saying 'this is now, but what about before she went to Alfea?'. But he chose to ignore it.

"You're right, as usual. But I really don't wish to leave you here." At this Greer, who had been quietly watching them, decided to speak up.

"Hey, don't worry about them, they have us." She pointed to herself, Lola and Mary. "Mary is a queen, so if anyone should try anything, they'd be in big trouble. So go find your mother and bring Tecna here, safe and sound, so that I can learn all the details about your love affair." She smirked at the now blushing nature fairy.

"Okay, then. I'll be right back, hopefully with Tecna." She told her friends before leaving them once again. It was getting annoying how she always had to leave. She went back to the party and she met her mother first.

"There you are, I've been looking for you." Catherine said while eyeing her suspiciously.

"As I was looking for you. We need to talk." Flora surprised her by her firm tone, but it was un understandment considering the situation they were in. Catherine took a look at Henry, who was too busy talking to his son-in-law before she nodded. The two women went to the back of the room, where there were very few people and so they could talk more freely.

"Well, I wasn't expecting you to actually go through with this, I saw how much you like the other boy." Catherine scoffed and Flora got angry.

"His name is Helia and he's the one I love. I was supposed to marry him, but you messed that up." Catherine sighed deeply.

"Flora, dear, I'm afraid that what you feel for him doesn't matter, as I said before, you have a duty to perform." Flora ignored these words, but she couldn't do with the next ones. "And besides, what were you thinking, getting involved with him? Have you forgotten about Nostradamus' vision?"

"You can't be serious." Catherine gave her an intense look.

"That man might be the cause of your death. Doesn't that worry you?" Flora shook her head vigorously.

"No, it doesn't, cause that vision isn't the truth. Nostradamus is crazy and so are you." She regretted it the moment she said it. This wasn't the way to get Tecna back, she shouldn't be angering her mother. Catherine simply smiled at her.

"I'll let you believe what you want, but I'm still keeping an eye on him." Flora ignored her and focused on the matter she had come to solve.

"Where's Tecna?" Catherine looked surprised.

"She's safe, I'll bring her here after the ceremony." Flora shook her head.

"No, I want to see her now. I have fulfilled my duty and my part on the agreement, so all I ask is that you please let my friend go. She doesn't deserve to pay for my mistakes." Her mother's expression softened at the last part and she nodded.

"Okay." She started walking away, but Flora wasn't done.

"And I want you to send the others back home. They don't deserve to be trapped here." Catherine's eyes widened.

"Flora, I can't do that, there isn't magic here, remember?" Flora cast her a suspicious look.

"But you went to the Magic Dimension, so perhaps that isn't true at all." A panicked look crossed Catherine's face, but it was quickly replaced by a sad smile.

"I used a magical book to get there, the Legendarium. But it's with Selina now, so there's no way of going back." The memory of Selina made the nature fairy flinch as she recalled how the other girl had poisoned her and fooled them all.

"So they will be trapped here?" Catherine nodded and Flora sighed. This wasn't going the way she planned. "Well, can you at least promise me that you won't hurt them. I'll become queen of France like you always wanted and I won't run away. All I ask is that you let my friends live so that there can be some happiness in my life." That one hurt the blonde woman as she had never intended for it to come to this. So she gave a nod before they left to go look for Tecna.

With Tecna...

The pink haired fairy was trapped in a rather cold room without any windows, so she didn't know how long it had been since she had been taken or whether it was day or night. She was starting to get hungry and with each noise she heard, her fear grew. But she didn't act on it, she was a Winx and she would find a way out of this situation. She attempted to untie herself, but it proved to be extremely difficult as Catherine had done a great job tying her up.

Flashbacks of happier times went through her mind, the day she met the Winx, when she and Timmy became friends, when they became something more, when they got engaged. She recalled fun moments she had spent with Musa, her closest friend, and with her parents. And the more she remembered, the more she feared that these memories would be gone soon, just as she would.

There were bad memories too, most of them about the Omega Dimension. She recalled her fear when she found herself alone in that cold and dark place. She also remembered the aftermath, when she had had a conversation with Timmy about it and they had agreed not to mention it again after he told her how hard it was for him, how much he had suffered.

"Oh, Timmy." A tear escaped as she thought of her amazing fiancée who had made her so happy for the past few years and how much she would miss him. "He'll be broken if I die, I can't do that to him." Those words fueled her determination and she worked harder to get rid of the ropes. After a few minutes, she had just managed to get rid of the cloth when she heard footsteps. She quickly put it back on, in case Catherine was coming to check in on her, and stepped away until her back hit the wall. She could hear voices talking and she listened carefully.

"Are you sure this is it?" A woman's voice asked, though it was definitely not Catherine, she sounded way younger.

"Yes, remember, I overheard her." A man answered and Tecna wondered who he was.

"I know, but what if she knew that you were listening and she said the wrong location." The man didn't answer for they arrived at the dungeons. "I don't see anyone here." The woman told the man suspiciously and Tecna realized that this might be her chance to get out of here."

"I'm here. Help me, please." The two strangers were startled after hearing her voice, but they acted quickly.

"There you are, Tecna." The technology fairy gave her a confused look, but both agreed this wasn't the time. Sebastian pulled out a pocket knife and Tecna stepped back, horrified teal eyes staring at it.

"Hey, don't worry, I won't hurt you. I'll just use this to cut the ropes." He reassured her and she looked at him suspiciously before nodding. He came closer to her and held onto the ropes. He was about to cut them when there was the sound of footsteps approaching. The couple shared worried looks and Tecna understood that they might be in trouble if anyone found out that they had gone there to free her.

"Go! I'll be fine." The brunette gave her an unsure look, but she was pulled away by her partner and they ran and hid behind the door just as it was thrown open. In entered Catherine and Flora as the nature fairy searched the room for her friend.

"Tecna?" She called worriedly and Tecna quickly answered her.

"I'm here." She was relieved to see a friendly face, but Catherine's presence wasn't comforting.

"Oh, Tecna, I'm so glad that you're alright!" The nature fairy ran to her and hugged her tightly.

"I better undo these ropes." Catherine said from behind her as she gestured towards the ropes bending Tecna's arms.

"No! You don't come anywhere closer to me." Tecna cursed herself for sounding so terrified, but the woman had threatened to kill her and then locked her away in a cell.

"Give me the knife, mother, so that I can set her free." Catherine obeyed the nature fairy's request, much to Tecna's surprise. Soon she was free and she was quick to wrap Flora in a hug. Upon realizing that the technology fairy was shaking, from fear and cold, Flora comforted her.

"Shh. It's okay, you're safe now and I'll never let her hurt you again. I am so sorry." Both friends cried as they remained in the hug for a few minutes. Once they broke apart, a smile came to Tecna's face.

"Thanks, Flo. I really needed your comfort after what I went through today." Flora gave her a reassuring smile.

"I know and I promise you that won't happen again. Right, mother?" She glared at Catherine, who nodded.

"You and your friends aren't going to be harmed by me. I apologize for my actions earlier and I don't ask for your forgiveness because I know some things are unforgivable." Those words surprised the nature fairy and she noticed the glimpse of sadness that crossed her mother's face. It was something she only saw when Catherine talked about their family and their death. Flora wondered if that was the unforgivable thing that she had referred to. "I must be going now. Flora, do you want me to tell your father that you'll need some alone time and that he should keep James occupied" Flora nodded, too stunned to say anything and Catherine left.

"Is she gone?" There was a whisper and Flora jumped as she looked around scared.

"Who's there?" She asked and the couple came out from behind the door.

"Kenna? What are you doing here?" Flora questioned the brunette, who smiled.

"We came here to rescue Tecna." This made Flora look at Sebastian. She didn't know him well, but from what she did know, he was kind and polite and definitely handsome. Still, it was suspicious that he apparently knew where Tecna had been taken.

"How did you know that she was here?" Kenna's smiled enlarged as she look at him.

"It was all Bash, truly. After we became acquaintanced, he told me that he's sort of a detective, so I asked him to do a little investigating on your mother. Sorry about that, there's just something off with her. Anyways, today he overheard her telling the guards to send the prisoner to the dungeons and since your friends had just been talking about Tecna, I guessed it was her." Flora was immensely surprised.

"That is, well, thank you. Even if you were a little late, thanks for trying to save Tecna." She told both of them and Kenna smiled while Bash looked rather upset.

"I wish we had gotten here sooner, thank goodness she's alright." He told them and Kenna gave took his hand in hers.

"Hey, you did good. You're a hero and I'm so happy that we met." Bash smiled at her and they shared a kiss while Flora and Tecna held similar smirks.

"I wanted to thank you for attempting to save me, too." Tecna said after the couple broke apart and both nodded.

"Okay, now we better hurry until we reach the others, they must be anxious and worried about you, Tec." Flora told her and the four of them walked back to the gardens and towards the rest of their friends.

"Tecna!" Timmy screamed once they arrived and the two lovers quickly engaged in a tight hug. The others watched them with smiles.

"I see everything went well." Bloom commented and Flora smiled.

"Yes, I made an agreement with my mother, she won't bother you anymore." The nature fairy told them and Stella and Musa looked suspicious.

"And you're going to take her word?" Musa asked and Flora nodded.

"Yes. She's not a bad person, she's just lost and now that she got what she wanted, she has no reasons to cause you anymore harm." The two fairies raised their eyebrows, but chose not to say anything.

"Okay, then. Now that everything's settled, it's truth time." Bloom said and Tecna and Timmy sat down in the grass, arms wrapped around each other and looked back at Flora just as the others did. The nature fairy blushed before she started telling them the story that would change their lives.

Once she was done, everyone was staring at her confusingly and shocked. "Wow! That's some crazy story."Stella said and Aisha and Musa showed their agreement.

"So we're really trapped here?" Daphne asked and Flora nodded sadly.

"Yes, but that doesn't mean that we should give up. We should keep tracking a way to get out of here." She told them firmly and Helia spoke for the first time since she began telling the story.

"Then that's what we will do. And I sure hope that we can get out of here, because I can't stand the thought of being in a world where we can't be together." She smiled at his sweet comment, but it was a sad one.

"Neither do I. I didn't want to go through with this wedding before, but now I just wish that I could never see James again." Lola had a worried look on her face.

"If he ever finds out about you and Helia, he's gonna kill him." Stella and Bloom cast her looks.

"I think that you're exaggerating there." Bloom said and Lola shook her head.

"She's really not, you don't know this world, but that's how things work. The king can have as many lovers as he wants, but the queen cannot. After all, if she were to get pregnant, it would be a catastrophe!" Mary answered for Lola and it was her turn to receive looks from the Winx.

"Then he won't find out. But I'm not going to give up on my relationship with Helia, that is, if he still wants it." The nature fairy turned to her fiancée and he gave her a smile she wasn't expecting.

"So you want us to keep seeing each others in secret?" He questioned and Flora said nothing as she realized how crazy that sounds. "That actually sounds interesting. And dangerous. But I'm not willing to give up on you either." The couple shared a passionate kiss after that and were oblivious to the conversation that played out.

"So we'll help those two lovebirds. And we'll find a way for you to get back home." Greer told the Winx and Specialists with a confident smile that was returned. It was incredible how a bond was already forming between them, but sometimes the worst circumstances brought people together. The rest of the evening was passed with lighter talking as everyone attempted to get to know each other.

Okay, this didn't turn out as good as I hoped, but it's okay. So, what are your thoughts?

Did you like the Flora X Helia scenes? What about Tecna? And the group scenes? Now the truth is out and the Winx will take some time to understand it before they can forgive Flora. They will have a while, since they're trapped in the "real world." Will they ever manage to get back?

Next chapter we'll have more FloraXHelia and the other couples and also Badass Flora. Who's ready to see our favorite nature fairy kicking some ass?


	20. Danger and Mistakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks after the Winx have began their new lives in France, Flora finds herself in an impossible situation and she makes a terrible mistake that could ruin everything. Will her relationship with Helia survive? And will the Winx ever adapt to their new lives?

Hello, people. Here we have another chapter. I'll be posting them 2 times a week if I get over 10 hits to this one. If not, I'll post them evey week. 

So, this chapter is a bit late and I don't like it that much. Hope you'll be able to enjoy it anyways. The one chapter that will make you cry worse than while watching Titanic or Marley & Me will be coming soon too. Seriously, this is so tragic.

Happy reading! Well, not so happy. Good luck!

Two weeks later...

Behind a great oak tree in the palace gardens, a young couple was so lost in each other that it was as if the outside world no longer existed. They wouldn't have been able to notice if anyone passed by them and their secret was revealed to the world. A secret that could get them both killed, but at that moment they didn't care.

"Hmm. Were you that good of a kisser before?" The girl asked once they pulled apart, both breathless. Her light brown hair was now a mess and her green dress that matched her eyes was now kneaded. A crown rested by their feet.

"Sure I was, I guess we didn't have as much passion before." The man with midnight blue hair and eyes responded with a smile. It wasn't a full one, though.

"I guess knowing the consequences makes us more bolder and passionate. I kinda like it." She told him while wrapping her arms around his neck. He didn't give her a smile.

"I don't. I'd rather go back to what we used to be before, Flora. Where I could be with you in front of others, not hiding behind a tree." Her face fell at that statement and she pulled her arms off his neck.

"I know, Helia, and I'm so sorry. But this is the only way that we can be together now." He sighed in distress as he sat down with his back against the tree. She joined him soon and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I guess it's better than us being apart. Life without you would be so dull and empty." He told her and she nodded.

"I really wish that we weren't stuck in this situation. It's not fair to us or James." At that name, she felt him stiff and she regretted mentioning him. "Helia, you know that I don't have feelings for him." She reassured her lover for the millionth time and he gave her a tight smile.

"I know, but that doesn't stop me from hating on him. He got to marry you, if this was a competition, he would be the winner surely." This time she smiled at him as she knew exactly what to say to calm him down.

"He wouldn't be the winner over my heart. It is yours, forever." He smiled back and both moved in for another passionate kiss. There was a cough and both froze in fear. They reluctantly pulled apart and met the eyes of the one who had found them. Relief filled the young couple as they realized there was no danger.

"Hey there, lovebirds." A smirking Greer said as she stared at them.

"Greer! You could have said something instead of just coughing. Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" Flora asked her sternly and she just laughed.

"I'm sorry, you two are just so jumpy." Flora shook her head at her.

"What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be having dinner with Leith?" Helia asked he as he recalled how his newfound friend had mentioned that he would be having an important dinner with Greer and that he had a surprise for her.

"Yep, I am on my way. But first I came here to warn you two, James is back and he demanded that Flora go meet him in their chambers." Greer replied, a somber and serious look on her face as she said James' name. Helia sighed deeply as him and Flora shared reluctant looks.

"Okay, then I better get going. I'll see you tomorrow, my love." Flora told him before she gave him a last kiss. She picked her crown and settled it on her head. After making sure that she looked good enough, she left for her chambers, having no idea what awaited her there.

"I better get going too. See you later, Helia." Greer said and she cast him a pitiful look before leaving as well. Sighing once again, Helia stood up and he walked towards Flora's old chateau, where he had been staying with Leonardo, Musa and Riven. It was empty at this time, since Musa was performing in the palace and Riven was still on his shift. The music fairy had started working as a singer, along with Nicolas Gombert, who was a rather famous musician in France. He had offered her the job after some convincing from Flora and Musa had been so happy to be able to keep playing music and singing that she wasn't as eager to get back home as the others.

As for Riven, well he had joined the guard force, as their friends had predicted. Some of the other specialists, like Brandon, Thoren and Nabu had as well. The wizard had been rather skeptic about it, but had decided to do it in the end. The four friends were having a good time, as they were granted access to the weaponry and their jobs included protecting their partners, since Flora had convinced her father that it would be the perfect job for them. Since Daphne, Bloom, Stella and Aisha had become Flora's ladies and therefore important figures, the nature fairy had argued that they would need protection. That position also granted the four Winx comfortable chambers in the palace, where they lived with their partners.

Tecna and Timmy were the only ones who didn't live in the palace of near the rest of them, as the technological couple had become helpers for famous inventor Galileo Galilei and they had also gotten a small cottage in the city with some money that Flora had given them as the Winx had no money from their new reality.

Helia met Leonardo at the living room as the older man was concentrated on yet another painting.

"Good night, Leo." Helia greeted him with friendly smile and Leonardo immediately turned to him with a small smile.

"Helia, my boy. I'm glad you're back here cause we need to talk." The young man was confused for he was used to Leonardo not being a man of many words. He looked at his friend in confusion as the famous painter pointed at the red couch in the living room. Both sat quietly while Helia wondered what this could possibly be about.

Back with Flora...

Flora reached the palace a few minutes later and she met her parents in the entrance as they were headed for a walk. Both gave her cautious smiles, as usual, and she gave back a fake one. Her anger at them had diminished over the past few weeks, but she was no close to forgiving either of them.

"Good evening, dear." Catherine greeted and Henry simply nodded.

"Good evening, mother." Flora said formally and a bit cooly.

"How are you doing, Flora? It's been a while." Henry asked her concernedly and a small part of her wanted to cry in pain as he didn't call her 'princess', which was the nickname he had used during her whole life, even when they fought. Her attention was more focused on remembering the reason why they hadn't seen each other in a few days. Henry had gone back to Scotland to discuss the matter of Mary Stuart and the alliance with France. With Will dead, Mary couldn't keep the french throne, but her mother was requiring that France gave them some sort of restitution. So Henry had gone there to discuss said restitution.

"I'm great. How was your trip?" Henry sighed.

"It wasn't very good, Marie de Guise is furious at me because of Will's death, though it wasn't my fault. But I was able to calm her down after I promised that the alliance will remain and Mary will be welcome here in France for as long as she wished to stay." That was certainly good news, so Flora attempted a genuine smile.

"I'm glad to hear it, father." He returned her smile and for a second there, she thought that he would hug her. But he didn't.

"We should get going." Catherine said quickly as she gave Henry a look.

"Are you going for a walk?" Flora questioned and her father shook her head.

"No, we're going to check a village nearby where there has been the protestant attacks, we're going to try to find these cruel monsters. We'll be taking most of the guard force with us, so you and your friends be careful,okay?" Flora nodded before she said her goodbyes and went back to walking to her room. She could still hear them and their words made her feel uneasy.

"Henry, I'm sure that Elizabeth is behind this. We have to stop her before she decides to turn Flora into her new target, now that Mary isn't much of a threat." Catherine was telling her lover in a low voice, but that didn't stop the nature fairy from hearing her. She recalled that Elizabeth was Mary's cousin and the current queen of England as her father had recently died. There were many people who claimed that she wasn't the true heir to the throne as rumors said that she was the king's bastard daughter and only a legitimate child should become queen of England.

However, with no other children from the late king, she had taken the throne. Elizabeth was also a protestant and she desired, even more than her father had, to take Ireland and Scotland and turn them into protestant nations. Needless to say, the situation with England and France had not improved in the two months since she had become queen.

Flora was unable to hear her father's reply, for they were too far away and she wasn't sure she even wanted to. So she kept walking as she wondered why James had called her there. They hadn't had much contact ever since the wedding, she had claimed that she had no interest in going on a honeymoon with him and she had convinced her father to let her stay in France. In the palace, she avoided seeing James and spent most of her time with her friends and Helia. When her husband went back to Ireland 6 days previous, it felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. But now he was back.

As Flora reached James' chambers, the first thing she noticed were the many candles spread across the room. Her confused green eyes searched for her husband and she found him standing near the bed. He wore the same suit from when they had first met, on the night of Mary and Will's wedding. He smiled once he noticed that she was there and walked towards here.

"Flora. I'm glad to see that you're okay, I've heard of the attacks recently and prayed that you weren't involved." He told her gently and guilt filled her. She knew that she was hurting him, even if unwillingly and indirectly, by staying with Helia.

"I'm fine, the attacks have been going on in the villages, they haven't reached the palace." She told him with a small smile.

"That's good. I was supposed to stay for a few more days, but after hearing about it, I decided to come back early." He told her and she gave him a fake smile.

"Oh, I'm glad you did." Lying had never been her favorite thing, though she did it a lot, so she frowned. He noticed it and sighed.

"Look, I know that you're unhappy about this marriage and, to tell the truth, I'm not too happy either. But the fate of our countries is depending on this being successful, so if you care about your home, you should at least try to make this work." He told her firmly and she sighed.

"It's not as if I don't care, but I can't do this." She told him while shaking her head and he took another step, so that he was right in front of her. He took her hand in his and kissed it.

"Of course you can. You are strong, one of the strongest women I've ever met and I can promise you that if you give it a try, you might end up falling in love with me." She wanted to laugh as she doubted that would ever happen. He realized that his strategy wasn't working, so he decided to try something else. "Do you know why I went back home?" He questioned and Flora was curious.

"Not really." She answered and he sighed once again before he sat down on the bed and gestured for her to do the same.

"I went there because there have been attacks caused by England too. And 6 days ago, one of them killed my younger brother because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I had to go back for his funeral and because my father wanted to discuss things with me." She gasped while hearing it as she thought how much he must be suffering. She knew that pain, she had lost more than one younger sibling.

"I'm so sorry." She told him and she squeezed his hand as an attempt to comfort him. He gave her a sad smile.

"Thank you, Flora. Now do you understand why I so desperately want this to work?" He asked and she nodded.

"I do,but still, I don't love you." She was sure that these words might have broken his already shattered heart, but they needed to be said.

"I know. I've been in love before and I know that you're in love with someone else. But I do hope that you know that you can't be with him, whoever he is, because if you give birth to an illegitimate child, you could be killed, there are laws." She knew those laws, so that's why she had been careful enough to hide her relationship with Helia.

"So what do you propose?" She asked, curiously.

"Your survival depends on you giving an heir, a legitimate one, so we need to fulfill our jobs as future king and queen of France. Just imagine what would happen if we somehow died, France would be vulnerable and so would be Scotland and Ireland. We need to provide a heir and soon." This was exactly what she thought it would be. He was trying to seduce her, convince her to sleep with him. And even though he was right, she would have none of it.

"No. I'm not going to sleep with you." She told him firmly and determinately, though she knew that she really didn't have a choice.

"Look, I'm not thrilled about it either, but we have to do it." He stood up and she was confused until she saw that he was coming back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. "I think this will make it easier." He told her before he filled the two bottles. He handed one to her and she was going to protest, but the memory of the conversation she had with her mother on the day of the wedding came back to haunt her, as it did every time she was with Helia. 'Make sure that this marriage is successful and no one will need to get hurt.'.

"Damn." She muttered under her breath. She really didn't have much of a choice, she might be a princess now, but her father still was the king and her mother was very influential as well. So she accepted the glass of wine and she drank it quickly. Soon the bottle was gone and she felt different, lighter and so she did what no one would have expected her to do, she kissed James. A passionate, desperate kiss that he eagerly replied and that was the moment everything changed.

Back with Helia...

"So, what's this about, Leo?" Helia asked curiously.

"I know about you and Miss. Flora." Leonardo went straight to the point and Helia's blood ran cold.

"What? I don't know what you're talking about." He tried to deny it, but Leonardo cast him a look.

"Don't try to deny it, I know what I saw. You two should really be more careful." He advised Helia, who looked down in shame.

"I thought that we were being careful enough." Leonardo shook his head vigorously.

"My boy, I hate having to be this hard on you, but what the hell do you think you're doing?" Helia was surprised.

"We're in love, Leo. And two weeks ago we were getting married. You know that, you've seen the paintings I've made of her and the poems I've written. I am desperately, hopelessly in love with her and she feels the same way." Leonardo sighed deeply, because he knew that. He knew, but he also knew the dangers behind the two lover's actions.

"I know that and it's a very unfortunate situation you two are in, but if this is found out, you could be killed. Both of you. Just imagine how horrible it would be for her parents, who have lost all of their children, and to France, that has no heir to the throne. King Henry might love Flora, but he would be forced to sentence her to death if it were discovered that she was having an affair." Guilt filled Helia as those words were said and it was like someone was punching him. He had known of the dangers, but with Leonardo's words, it got so much worse.

"But what can I do? I love her, I can't live without her." He told his friend desperately and Leo put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"I know what it's like to be young and in love, I've been there myself, but you need to think about the most important thing. And that's not your happiness or hers, unfortunately. We live in a world where the future of an entire nation relies on the young princes and princesses. So Flora needs to do what's best for France and you need to help her do that." Helia looked at his older friend, sadness and confusion passing through his face.

"I'm not following you." Leonardo gave him a sad look.

"You have to end your affair with her." Helia stared at him in disbelief, but there was only determination in the old man's eyes. There was only silence as the young man was lost in thought as he wondered if this was truly the right thing to do.

Many hours later...

Flora woke up with a groan as her head was spinning. She looked around the still lit room and she spotted a sleeping James by her side. She sighed as she recalled what had happened and how she had betrayed Helia. "He'll never forgive me for this and I don't really blame him." She muttered to herself as she stood up and put on her dress from before. She started walking towards the door, wanting to be as far away as possible from this room, when she heard screams and the sound of glass shattering. She was confused and wondered if she was still drunk and this was an hallucination. Deciding to find out what this was, she walked out of the room and followed the noise.

Her ears led her to the library, a place she loved and she could hear many people screaming there. Her breath caught in her throat when she realized that she knew those voices, she had known them for 5 years. It was the Winx. And not only them, Mary and Lola were there too.

"What the hell?" She muttered to herself and her heart froze when she noticed that there was an armed guard in front of the library. This wasn't uncommon, however, she could clearly see that in the guard's shield there was a flag, one that belonged to England. "Oh my god." She covered her mouth as she realized that this was probably an attack sent out by Elizabeth. "But who's their target? Is it Mary or me?" She asked herself. Whatever the answer was, she needed to act and fast. There were no guards in the castle to protect the Winx, so she would have to take care of them herself.

The thought of taking out armed guards made her nervous and unsure for she had never done it before, but she knew that the Winx wouldn't be able to take them out, they weren't used to fighting them without magic. So she ran through the corridors as she attempted to reach her room. She was able to get close, but once she saw all of the guards that were posted near her room, she knew that her chances of getting there were slim.

"Great! What now?" She muttered to herself. Never in her life had she felt so alone as she did now. 'I believe that we are never alone. But when you feel like you are, all you have to do is look at this picture and you'll remember that we're always with you.' She recalled the words that had been spoken to her by Will on the day he gave her a picture of himself for her to put inside her heart-shaped necklace, only a few months previous. A smile came to her face as she thought of her brother.

"Oh, Will. How can you not be here anymore?" She asked herself and she felt tears welling up as they always did whenever she thought of him. "I have to be strong right now, my friends need me." She looked back at all the guards and tried to come up with a new plan. "Okay, so I can't go back to my room. There must be somewhere else where I can find weapons. The weaponry." She mentally face palmed for being so stupid and not thinking about it before. Then she realized that the soldiers would have most likely taken all of the weapons.

"So what do I do?" She hid behind a statue as two guards passed by her. Then it clicked. "Will's room. They probably haven't gone there." Excitement filled her as she recalled what she had hidden in Will's room and so that's where she went. She was lucky that there were no guards in that area and so she quickly grabbed what she needed and headed back to the library.

With the Winx...

Bloom, Stella, Aisha and Tecna were hanging around the library that day, as they usually did. They were trying to find out a way out of here, having had no luck for the past two weeks. Musa would usually be joining them, but she was currently in the middle of practice for the next recital. For once, Tecna was there with them as she usually would be in the city, working with Galileo or researching in the public library.

"Okay, this is getting boring. Can we take a break?" As usual, Stella suggested.

"That's actually not a bad idea. We've been researching for hours, we should get something to eat so we can regain our energy." Tecna commented and the others nodded before putting away their books. The library door opened and in came Mary and Lola. The 4 friends waved at the two.

"Hey Mary, Lola." Bloom greeted warmly and she was surprised when Mary simply sighed.

"What's wrong?" Stella curiously inquired. Mary remained silent, so Lola answered for her.

"She's been having a really bad feeling today and so have I." The Winx eyed them with confusion.

"So you think something bad will happen?" Aisha asked while she attempted to calm down the almost asleep baby girl in her arms.

"I'm sure of it." Bloom attempted to comfort her as she cast the young queen a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry too much, Mary. I'm sure that you're just shaken because of the attacks on the villages." It didn't work and Mary looked even more worried after these words.

"I hadn't even thought about them. What if they reach the palace?" She started panicking and the Winx felt a bit panicky too. They had been living for a short period in this new reality, but they had quickly learned that this was a much more dangerous world than their own. There were attacks every day and the rage of unspoken war between England and France left the six fairies very worried. What worried them even more was that they no longer had their powers and if an emergency came, they weren't sure if they would be able to defend themselves. The specialists' presence made them feel safer for they knew how to fight without magic, but today they weren't there.

"Okay, guys, now I'm getting worried too." Stella commented and Tecna nodded.

"If the attacks do reach the palace, we will have to fight without our powers and I don't think that we'd be ready for that." The technology fairy said and the other girls sighed. There was a sudden noise as the door was violently opened and they all gasped.

"Musa!" Tecna screamed once she noticed that the music fairy was being held by a guard that looked at them with smirks.

"Tecna!" Musa screamed back and she fought to get out of his grasp, but the guard held her tighter and they entered the room. More guards followed him and the Winx stared at them fearfully.

"This is not good." Stella said while she backed away. Aisha and Bloom stood up and lined up defensively.

"Who are you?" It was Mary who asked and the guard that held Musa smirked at her.

"Can't you guess that, your majesty?" He told her and the young queen gasped.

"You're working for Elizabeth!" She exclaimed and another guard nodded.

"Look what a clever girl we've got here. Too bad we can't keep her." He said while eying her with a smirk. Bloom and Aisha stood in front of Mary protectively.

"You're gonna have to go through us before you can get to Mary." The fairy of waves told the guards determinately and they laughed, as expected. Lola, who was behind them all, attempted to find somewhere she could escape with little Lana as she knew that she was in no condition to fight. Her eyes searched the back of the library, but she found nothing.

"Look at them, so sure of themselves. They're just women, taking them down will be a piece of cake." Another cocky guard said while smirking.

"That's right. But first, we need to find out where the other one is. Princess Flora. You're her friends, aren't you?" The guard holding Musa asked the Winx, who shared equal fearful looks.

"This is definitely not good." Stella repeated, but Bloom shook her head.

"It's time we come up with a plan." She told her three friends, her eyes stopping on Tecna.

"We can't take them down." The technology fairy said and Stella glared at her.

"Great! So what do you suggest we do? Cry for help?" She asked rather sarcastically and Bloom's face lightened up.

"That's it." The redhead said while smiling. The guards, who had been watching their interaction with amused expressions on their faces, frowned. "Make as much noise as you can." Bloom muttered and Stella and Tecna nodded. Mary gave them a confused look that turned to shock when Stella screamed so loud that many of the people had to cover their ears.

"What the hell?" One of the guards yelled. Soon Aisha and Bloom joined in the screaming and the guards were enraged.

"Okay, that's enough! Guards, restrain them." The leader said while he covered Musa's mouth as she had started screaming as well. The others followed his orders and ran towards the 6 girls. One of them reached Mary and easily restrained her as she didn't fight back, being paralyzed by fear. Bloom and Aisha were a different story. They kicked the guards and punched them, but those men were stronger and way bigger, so they were restrained too. Stella ran along the library and the guards had to chase her down. And Lola, well, by then she had already found a place to hide. Baby Lana squirmed in her arms, but made no noise as if she knew the danger they would be in if they were discovered.

"Now, here is how we're gonna do this." The leader said once the Winx and Mary were successfully trapped. "You're going to tell me where the princes is or else, this one will be the first to die." He smirked at their horrified expressions while he pressed his sword to Musa's throat. It was a too familiar scene and the girls knew that whatever they did, one of them would probably die. So they remained silent, which only enraged the guard.

"So you want to play the silence game, huh? I guess she'll be the winner." He said and the blade was lifted while they watched in terror, unable to help their friend. Musa thought that this was going to be the end and she closed her eyes and awaited for death. But death never came, the impact of the blade never came. She felt the pressure being lifted from her arms and she opened her eyes to find herself free. She stared at her friends in confusion, but their attention was focused on a figure in the furthest shelf from where she was.

"What the hell?" One of the guards screamed and soon an arrow came his way and he was knocked to the ground. Musa noticed that the one who had been holding her had an arrow stuck on his shoulder as well.

"I heard you've been looking for me, so I thought I'd grace you with my presence." The figure said as she stepped onto the light. It was Flora, though she didn't look like the sweet and pacific fairy they knew. No, there was a fire in her eyes that they had never seen and she was carrying a bow.

"Princess Flora! What a great idea you had to join us." The guard who had been holding Musa said with a smirk as he took out the arrow from his shoulder. Flora returned the smirk.

"I know that. Now you can leave my friends alone and flee the palace or else I'll be forced to take you down. It's your choice, gentlemen." She said boldly, surprising everyone in the room, including the other two figures that were hiding in the shadows. The guards stared at her for a second before laughing.

"Look at how many brave ladies we have here. This is turning out to be very interesting." The leader shot back and Flora was unimpressed. Before he could say another word, two more arrows had been sent towards the guards, successfully hitting their shoulders. The two screamed and looked at her angrily.

"Now that's it. I don't care what it takes, but capture her. And remember, queen Elizabeth wants her alive. You may kill off Mary, but she must remain alive." The leader ordered and many guards ran Flora's way. She sent out many arrows, but she knew that wasn't enough. When the first one reached her, she kicked him hard and he fell to the ground in pain. Soon she found herself surrounded and it became hard to fight. She was sure that she would have lost if Nabu and Sky hadn't helped her. The three of them were able to successfully send the guards back.

"Sky?" Bloom asked confusingly once she saw her boyfriend. Aisha had the same confused expression.

"Nabu?" The wizard smiled at her before he kicked the guard that was holding her, setting her free. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Before she could ask what he was doing there, he spoke.

"We better leave the explanations for later, now let's kick some ass." Nabu playfully said and she rolled her eyes. Together, they were able to free Tecna and Stella while Sky freed Bloom. By then, most of the guards had been taken care of and were unconscious.

The door opened for the third time and in entered King Henry, Catherine, Riven, Brandon and a few other guards. The guards that had been attacking the Winx stopped to look at them in horror.

"Guards, arrest them!" Henry ordered without delay and the english guards were successfully stopped.

"Oh my god, Flora, are you okay?" Catherine turned to her daughter, who nodded.

"I'll be fine." She let down the bow she was holding and hugged her friends, glad that they were okay.

"Thank you." Musa told her and she smiled brightly.

"No problem. I guess I got here just in time." She replied and this caused the rest of the Winx to look at them.

"How did you even know we were here?" Tecna asked and Flora smiled sheepishly.

"I overheard you screaming and so I came here only to find the guards in front of the library. So I went to Will's room to get my bow and other weapons and I met Sky and Nabu along the way. We entered through a secret passage, since I know this library like the back of my hand." The fairies and specialists were impressed.

"So you can use a bow too?" Riven asked and Flora smiled at him.

"Yeah, Will taught me. And I'd rather use a bow than a sword, it's easier and more effective." The specialist looked like he wanted to argue, but Musa came to him and his attention was shifted to her.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Musa! I was worried when we were told that there was an attack by the protestants, I thought they might hurt you." He told her with a serious expression and Musa gave him a small smile.

"I'm okay now, but I was really scared before. They came out of nowhere and I couldn't fight them." A somber look came to her face as she thought about how close she had come to death and she shivered.

"Are you okay? Are you cold?" Riven asked her worriedly and she shook her head.

"I think that you two should talk." Bloom said and she gestured for the others to follow her so that the couple could be alone. The rest of the Winx went to their boyfriends while Flora went to her parents.

"Flora, sweetheart, you were so brave. We're proud of you." Henry told her with a smile while Catherine nodded.

"They were sent after me. Why?" She asked her parents, who shared worried looks.

"Well, England wasn't too pleased about your marriage to James. Elizabeth's actually furious about that and the agreement with Mary. Neither of you will be safe for a while." Henry told her somberly and she looked at him determinately.

"So what you're saying is that I'm no longer safe in my own home." She said and he nodded. "Then I guess we know what needs to be done, right mother?" She questioned, hoping that Catherine would pick up on what she was suggesting. If she did, Flora would never know.

"We need to reinforce your security. Bring in more guards and keep you inside the palace." Flora stared at her in disbelief and she barely heard her father's next words.

"That's a good idea. This wasn't just a random attack, they have just declared war. And we'll respond to that." He said firmly before he looked at Flora. "I won't let them get near you again, I'll make sure to keep you safe. And James will be there to help us, I'll ask him to stay with you at all times." She shook her head vigorously.

"No. You forced me into this marriage, but please, do not force me to be with him at all times. My friends are skilled fighters, they can keep an eye on me." She told them and Catherine didn't look too happy.

"Absolutely not! If someone should be looking after you, it should be your husband." She argued and Henry sighed.

"I have to agree with your mother. I'd feel much better if you were with James. But that doesn't mean that you can't be with your friends, James will accompany you on your meetings with them." Flora gave him a look that he ignored as he went to talk to the guards. Not wanting to be left alone with her mother, Flora went back to where her friends were.

"So, how did that go?" Bloom asked her and Flora had a huge, fake smile.

"Just great. Now I'm going to need a babysitting. Can you guess who they chose as my new babysitter?" They already knew by the look on her face.

"James." Stella said and Flora nodded.

"Yep. Isn't my life just wonderful?" She sarcastically asked. "At least James will be happy about this." She added and this caught their interest.

"Oh, right, he just got back, didn't he?" Bloom asked and Flora nodded.

"Greer mentioned that he wanted to see you before. What did he want?" A worried Stella asked and Flora sighed.

"I think you can guess that one." Disgusted looks came to the Winx's faces.

"Men! What's wrong with them?" Musa loudly asked and the specialists shared confused look, having not caught up on what they were saying.

"I don't get it, what did James want?" Riven asked and Flora took sarcasm to another level.

"You know, just what every husband wants." The specialists kept staring at her in confusion and she sighed. "He wanted to sleep with me. And he certainly know how to make that happen." The Winx stared at her with wide eyes.

"Flora! Please tell me that you didn't just sleep with James?" Bloom attempted to keep her voice down as not to draw any of the guards' attention. Flora looked down in shame.

"Oh My God!" Aisha and Musa screamed and Nabu gave her a sad look.

"What about Helia?" The nature fairy sighed.

"I love him. But our relationship can't go anywhere as long as I'm married to James, so I think I'm gonna have to end it." They gave her sorrowful looks.

"It's a tricky situation you've got there. But maybe that's for the best, it's not fair to Helia." Mary said as she approached the group.

"I'm still shocked and disgusted that you have slept James." Stella said and Mary's eyes widened.

"Wait! You slept with James? When did that happen?" She asked the nature fairy, who blushed.

"A few hours ago. He was very convincing and so was the wine." Everyone stared at her with widened eyes after hearing this new piece of information.

"So not only did you sleep with him, but you got drunk?" Bloom asked in disbelief and Flora avoided eye contact.

"Who are you and what have you done to Flora?" Stella asked jokingly and Flora sighed.

"I guess this is what happens when your life is a complete mess." Bloom put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Everything will be okay, Flo. We'll find a way out of here soon and you won't have to think about this anymore." She told her friend reassuringly and Flora smiled.

"Thanks, Bloom. I just hope that I'll still be me when that happens. Because I'm changing here and I don't like it." Not wanting to face them anymore, she walked away, going unnoticed by her parents who were too busy dealing with the guards. She had no destination in mind, but her feet lead her to her chateau. She sighed once she saw the lights in the living room. With her heart shattering into a million pieces, she sighed before opening the door. She knew Helia was there and it was time that they had a talk.

Yeah, I know. This was horrible. I so didn't mean to ruin my babies in this chapter, but my mind is so cruel. I know Flora was very OOC, but considering her situation, it wasn't nonsense. And this is not even the worse thing that will happen to them.

Okay, so what are your thoughts? Will Flora and Mary survive the attacks Elizabeth's sending? Will France win this newly started war? And will Flora and Helia's relationship survive now that she's slept with James and will have spend more time with him?

Next chapter we'll have another big time jump and more surprises are coming. Flora X Helia fans, hang in there. Those two will be together by the end of this fic. I promise.

DON'T FORGET: 10 hits and next chapter comes on Wednesday.


	21. Time changes everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 3 months have passed since the Winx and specialists were trapped in France. A lot has changed for them and they're losing hope of ever returning to the Magic Dimension. What will they do when a mysterious light appears and with it comes what they had thought was gone from this world?

Hey, people. I'm sure many people were't too happy with last chapter, but it was important because I needed to show you that the Flora X James situation is way more complicated than it seemsand there are some things that they can't choose.   
I initially thought of making James abusive, but decided against it. As I wrote his character, I realized that he's kinda like Henry, always ready to perform his duty even if it involves going against what his heart desires. So there you go, he's not a bad person, just a desperate man that wants to do everything he can to help his country. After all, desperate times call for desperate measures.

Also, never forget that the place where the Winx are now isn't the Earth they know, but in the past. It is a different reality. I call it the 'real world' as a way to differentiate it from the Winx's earth, but even though the Magic Dimension is a world contained in a book, that doesn't make it less real. Hope that's cleared up.

Okay, so this chapter's better than the next one and it's not as sad. There are some pretty big things happening. 

3 months later...

With Flora and Helia...

She walked the corridors of the palace in silence, thinking, wishing, praying. Her brown hair was tied up in a bun and her green eyes were downcast. Her face showed sadness and and regret, though no one could see it due to the hood of the black cape she wore over her dress. She hid from the world as she desired to be left with her thoughts. She didn't wish to talk to anyone now, specially the ones she was seeking. But she had to, this had gone too far and she needed to talk to them, make they see that their decisions had changed her. Her parents. They weren't bad people, she knew that, but they had made poor choices that could ruin her. She was no longer the happy and sweet fairy her friends had known, she had become a sad and lonely person.

Her thoughts went to the one she loved, the only one who would be able to make her happy and also the one person she couldn't see anymore. They were pulled apart, two lovers unable to be together. It was cruel and unfair, but that's just how her world worked. There was no fairness when it came to being a royal, as she had come to know well.

"Oh, Helia. I miss you." A lonely tear fell from her eyes as she let out a soundless whisper. Her fingers touched the empty space where there used to be a ring, the one he had given her when they had gotten engaged. Now it was empty, just like she was. She remembered the day she had been forced to give him the ring back and more tears fell.

3 months earlier...

She got to the chateau just as he had finished his conversation with Leonardo. She reluctantly opened the door and entered the place that used to be her home. "Flora. Are you okay?" Helia asked gently upon seeing the look on her face. She gave him a sad smile.

"I think that we have to... talk." Her voice was broken just like her heart. She could feel tears threatening to escape, but she had to be strong, she had to do this.

"I'm going to leave you two alone." Leonardo said after casting a sad smile towards the two lovers. And then he was gone and they were alone. There was silence as neither knew how to start this conversation. At last, Helia broke it.

"Hey, why don't you take a sit? You don't look okay." He commented as he gestured to the comfortable couch where he had been sitting just a few moments before. She nodded before following his advice and sitting down.

"I'm glad you weren't at the palace now, we just suffered an attack." She decided to start the conversation and his eyes widened.

"Really? Who's behind it? And are you okay?" She saw that he was truly worried and she quickly gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay, I wasn't in the library when they attacked. I only went there to rescue the Winx after getting help from Nabu and Brandon." She told him, but her words didn't send his worries away.

"So you went right to the location that was being attacked?" He questioned incredulously and she spoke before he could continue.

"My best friends were there, I owed it to them to save them from this mess. It's my fault, after all." She lowered her head and so she missed how he shook his.

"No, this isn't your fault! You're the victim here, just as the Winx are." She didn't want to listen to what she believed to be lies, so she opened her mouth to interrupt him, but he continued. "And I love you, no matter how many lies you've told or how many people you might've hurt. Because I know you better than anyone and I know that you never meant for it to come to this. All you wanted was to move on and I understand that." At such sweet words, she couldn't hold it any longer. She finally let herself cry and he was quick to hold her in a tight and loving embrace. For a few minutes they remained like this, two broken souls holding onto each other. But they both knew that there was a bigger reason why they were here, having this conversation.

"I don't deserve you, really. You're so amazing and kind and I don't deserve it, not after what I've done." She told him, frustrated with herself for letting James convince her.

"Flora, I just said that I understand what you've done. And I forgave you a long time ago." He said, confused. She gave him a look so sad and broken he just wanted to hold her in his arms again.

"But you don't know, I've made a mistake. I... I slept with James." She stuttered, voice breaking and it was like a knife had been plunged into his heart. It's not as if he wasn't expecting it, she was married to the man after all and he understood that sooner or later she would be pressured to do this so that they could provide France with an heir. Knowing all of that didn't diminish his sadness, though.

"Today?" He questioned after taking a few deep breaths to attempt to calm himself down and not focus on his growing jealousy and anger.

"Yes. He came back from his trip and he convinced me. I know that I shouldn't have let this happen, but I..." She didn't know how to finish the sentence, but he spoke before she could think of a way.

"I understand. As much as it pains me, I won't pretend like I didn't know that this would happen. I know that you promised me you wouldn't, but it's not a really your choice to make. You have a duty to perform and I understand that now." She was surprised at how easily he forgave her and at his words choice.

"Now you're sounding just like my parents." She observed and he sighed.

"Maybe that's because they are right. For as long as we are forced to stay here, there are rules that must be followed. That's why I wanted to speak to you today." She looked at him with sad, anxious eyes as she tried to guess what he meant. "I think that we can't be together right now." He said the words that broke the both of them, but unfortunately, they were true.

"No, we can't." She agreed after sighing. "As much as I love you and wish to be with you, that won't be possible anymore. Now that my life is in constant danger due to these attacks being sent my way, my parents have decided that I needed more protection. And they want James to be the one to protect me. I tried to convince them otherwise, but they won't hear." He was surprised and worried.

"So the attack was sent for you? Why?" He asked her and a sorrowful look came to her face.

"Because I married James and forged the alliance between our countries. England is afraid and so they want to get rid of me." She said, anger seeping through her voice.

"I'm glad you're okay." He said and she gave him a sad look.

"But I'm not. Now that I'm going to be guarded by James, I won't be able to meet you anymore. We won't see each other again. And I can't..." She started getting hysterical and he moved closer so that he could wrap a comforting arm around her and hold her close.

"I know, I know. I wish things were different too. But I have faith that someday we'll get back home and we'll be happy. You just have to believe in that and everything will be okay." He sounded broken and unsure, but there was also determination in his tone.

"Do you really believe that we'll be able to find our way back home?" She questioned and he nodded, this time he sounded sure.

"I do. My love for you gives me the strength to believe that things will get better, that the future holds something great for us. And I need you to believe in it too, I need you to have faith." He told her and she nodded.

"And I do, now. As usual, you have helped me believe. Everything will be okay." She said and, for once that day, she truly believed that. There was silence once again as they took comfort in being together, in each other's arms. But their moment was cut short when Bloom came to find them. The sad look on her face told them all they needed to know.

"Flo, your parents are calling for you. They just found James and they want to start planning your new schedule." The redhead said with a somber look and Flora nodded.

"Okay. I'll go find them. But first..." She turned back to Helia, who looked at her with sadness. With a broken heart, she pulled out the ring that rested comfortably on her finger and she put it in his hands. "Will you keep this safe so that when the time comes, you can give it to me once again?" She asked and a small smile appeared on his face.

"Of course. Just you wait, things will turn out for the best." He told her and they kissed one last time. After that, she left the chateau and Bloom gave him a pitiful look.

"I sure hope so. You two don't deserve any of this." She told him and he nodded. They certainly didn't. But it's as the saying goes, life isn't fair.

And here they were, 3 months later and things were worse than ever. Most of her time was spent in the library or in her room and James was always present. He turned out not to be abusive, as Kenna had predicted, but he sure was getting on her nerves. He insisted on accompanying her everywhere and his determination to make their marriage work annoyed her. Even though she hadn't wanted to, she had had to make love to him more times. After all, the pressure for having an heir was tougher on them than any royal couple and everyone expected her to get pregnant soon. But thankfully, she didn't and she hoped that she would never. Having a child with a man she didn't love wasn't in her future plans and she knew that it wouldn't be fair to herself or the baby.

Her relationship with Helia wasn't the only one that went down, as she noticed. Her parents hadn't been talking for a while and everytime she met her mother, she was alone. Flora wondered what could have made Catherine and Henry stay apart, but she guessed it was the stress of having their daughter as the main target in a war they hadn't been ready for. Elizabeth proved to be a bigger problem than they expected and she sent many attacks towards Scotland, France and even Ireland.

A recent attack on Ireland was the reason why Flora walked the corridors of the palace alone, for once. James had gone there to help his country and her parents had chosen Riven as her new babysitter. The maroon specialist had been more understanding than she would have expected and when she had claimed that she wanted to take a walk, he hadn't accompanied her. So here she was, wandering around the palace and thinking about her life. Too bad she had no idea how much this simple walk would cost her later.

With Tecna and Timmy...

They had been comfortably living in a small cottage in the city as they worked with famous inventor Galileo Galilei, who had fled the Italian Wars in 1524 and moved to France. Just like Leonardo da Vinci, due to him being rather famous, he had been easily accepted by the french community. He was currently working on building a huge telescope to help him in his theory that earth wasn't the center of the solar system, but the sun. After years of writing books about his theory and others, he had decided to put his words into actions and it was pure luck that Tecna and Timmy arrived just two weeks before he started his new project.

The technological couple was having difficulty living in this new world where cellphones didn't exist and technology was rather primitive, but they were enjoying helping Galileo. He was also good company, as they mentioned to their friends. Due to living in the city and not being famous yet, like Musa was, Tecna and Timmy didn't have much contact with the others, they only saw them during their weekly meetings to figure out a way back home.

The two had also involved themselves deeply in figuring that out, spending most of the time when they weren't working on the telescope in the city library. Flora had suggested that they used the one in the palace, but since Bloom,Aisha, Daphne and Stella were there, the technological couple had agreed on using the other one.

On this particular day, Tecna had just found some answers, but not the ones she had been looking for. She hadn't found a way back home, she hadn't found a way for them to use magic in their new reality, no she had found something completely different, but that would change everything nonetheless.

"Impossible." The pink haired fairy muttered to herself as she stared at her reflection in the small mirror in her bedroom. She was frozen, paralyzed and so she didn't even move when her name was called. She didn't respond and that worried Timmy greatly as he entered their home. The specialist ran the stairs as he tried to reach their bedroom quickly.

"Tecna?" He asked once again as he entered the bedroom and found her sitting on a chair as she looked in the mirror. "Are you okay?" She eyed him, face devoid of color and eyes widened.

"I... I'm not sure." Her voice shook and that worried Timmy even more.

"Are you feeling ill? Tired? What's wrong?" He questioned eagerly and Tecna remained silent.

"I found something today, I'm not 100% sure, but it's... unexpected." This caught his attention as he assumed that her discovery was related to their research.

"That's good, at least we're going somewhere." He told her with excitement and he smiled. "How about you rest for a bit and then you can tell me what you discovered?" He suggested and she shook her head before standing up quickly. The movement made her head spin and she had to hold onto his arm as she waited for it to stop.

"No, we need to discuss this as soon as possible." She said firmly after the dizziness passed and turned back to look at him.

"Okay, then. Let's have a sit." He said and he took her hand and led her to their bed, where both sat down.

"Timmy, I, I really don't know how to do this." He realized that she was anxious and nervous, which was unusual.

"Tecna, now you're starting to scare me." He told her worriedly and as she looked back at him, there were tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"I am scared! How could this have happened?" She screamed and then she launched herself at him and started crying hard. Timmy was lost and confused, she wasn't a crying person, he had actually only seen her cry about 3 times. He wasn't sure what to do, but as he recalled, when someone was in distress, they desired comfort. So he wrapped his arms around her and attempted to comfort her as he wondered what discovery could have possible made her like this.

With Bloom and Sky...

The two of them were sitting on top of the great oak tree in the gardens as they watched Daphne and Thoren having one of their romantic dates. The blonde princess lay on the grass while Thoren prepared the picnic he had brought for them. There were two baskets full of delicious snacks that he had gotten from a helpful servant and a towel that had been used many times by Catherine and Henry in their own romantic dates, though the younger couple wasn't aware of that.

"I still feel kinda weird about this." Sky said as he watched his cousin place the towel near Daphne.

"Relax, Sky, this isn't spying. We're just looking out for them." Bloom insisted once again with a smile.

"Then why do we have to do this from a tree?" He complained since he had had trouble climbing said tree. It's not as if he didn't know how, being a specialist this was basic knowledge, but climbing had never been his favorite activity.

"Because it's more fun like this." Bloom said and he gave her a glare. She laughed at him and almost lost her balance. "Oops." She easily regained it and sat back against the tree.

"You know, you're going to be the death of me." He told her afterwards and she rolled her eyes.

"Now you're just being dramatic." She replied before turning back to look at the happy couple on the grass. After Thoren finished placing the baskets on top of the towel, Daphne sat up and helped him unwrap their snacks. They laughed and talked, though the couple in the trees couldn't hear a word. "They look so happy." Bloom commented and Sky nodded.

"I think that they truly are happy. And maybe, it will last for a very long time." She looked at him curiously.

"So you think that they might be getting married in the future?" She questioned and Sky nodded once again.

"I'm sure they will. I have never seen Thoren this happy, not even that time when he finally won our swordfights. He wasn't so good at it." Both laughed as they recalled the story Sky loved to tell of when he was around 10 and Thoren was 14 and the two had had one of their battles and the latter had won due to Sky being suddenly blinded by the son. Thoren had been so excited and happy that he had told everyone about his victory.

"I hope they do get married, they deserve this kind of happiness." Bloom smiled at the sweet couple who was now feeding each other something that resembled strawberries.

"As we do, Bloom." She gave him a sad look. Marriage was a tricky subject when it came to them, not as tricky as it was for Flora, but still hard. Due to them being the only heirs to their respective realms, up until Daphne's resurrection, they knew that getting married would involve having to rule two realms at a time. And so they had decided not to do it until they were ready for such a great responsibility, though they had desired to get married for over 2 years. It had been hard for Bloom, watching her friends get engaged and married, in Aisha's case and the fairy of the dragon flame wished her time would come soon.

And it had. Now that Daphne was back and currently in a happy relationship, both of them had started thinking that maybe they could follow their original plan and get married soon. But with all the chaos they had endured since the beginning of the school year, they had put that thought aside. Well, Bloom had.

"You know, Bloom, I've been meaning to talk to you about this." She raised her eyebrows in confusion.

"About Daphne and Thoren getting married?" She asked him and he shook his head.

"No, about us. Bloom, I know that we've decided to put that thought aside, but I couldn't. I knew that I wanted to marry you, so I waited until the right time to ask and I think that this is it." She gasped and covered her mouth as she stared at him with wide eyes.

He smiled at her before holding both her hands in his. "I've loved you for so long and I know that I'll love you forever. You have been there during the hardest moments of my life, when I was cursed and nearly married another and when I lost all of my memories, you didn't give up on me. I have always admired your bravery and sometimes recklessness, but most of all, I admire your big heart. You have so much love for your friends, your family and even people you don't really like. I am so grateful to be a part of your life and I wish that I can continue to be, forever. So, will you do the honor of marrying me?" He asked and he pulled out a beautiful necklace from his pocked, one that contained a beautiful emerald. She gave him a confused look and he smiled sheepishly. "I couldn't find a ring, so Flora gave me this. It belonged to her grandmother and she insisted that we deserved to have it as a symbol of our love." He quickly explained.

"Oh, Sky. You really did surprise me there. I love you, so much and of course I'll marry you." She told him while crying and they kissed gently. The happy couple embraced each other and they barely noticed that the two who had been having a picnic were walking their way. Once they broke apart, Sky placed the necklace on her and both stared at the beautiful peace in awe.

"Hey, Bloom." Daphne said once she and Thoren reached them.

"Hello, Daphne. How was your date?" The redhead asked with a huge smile, unable to contain her excitement.

"It was great. We talked about you two actually." Daphne replied with a huge smile before she started climbing the tree. Always the gentleman, Thoren helped her and soon they joined the newly engaged couple.

"Really? What exactly about us?" Bloom asked back and Thoren responded with the biggest smile.

"How happy you seem. We wish that we can be as happy as you are after 5 years of dating." The brown haired man blushed a bit and the other three laughed.

"I have no doubt that you will be." Sky told his cousin with a smile.

"Yes, you two are so made for each other." Bloom added and Daphne and Thoren shared a happy glance.

"Thanks, Bloom. Now what are you two doing here?" The blonde princess asked with raised eyebrows and it was Bloom's turn to blush.

"We were definitely not spying on you." Sky said nervously and Bloom glared at him.

"Sky!" She exclaimed and the other couple laughed.

"It's okay, it's not as if we didn't know." Daphne said while smirking at her younger sister.

"So you knew?" Bloom asked with widened eyes and they laughed again.

"Of course. You two aren't so good at coming up with excuses." A smirking Thoren said and Sky sighed.

"Guess it's no use in hiding it then. We've been keeping an eye on you." The blonde prince said and Daphne smiled.

"I know. I wouldn't have expected any less from you two." She said and Bloom smiled, relieved that her sister didn't appear to be mad. Her hands picked on the beautiful necklace she had just gotten and Daphne looked at it curiously.

"What a beautiful necklace. I don't recall seeing you using it before." She commented and Bloom smiled brightly.

"Yes, I only got it today." Daphne and Thoren turned to look at Sky, who was smiling just as brightly.

"Wait a minute! Something's happening here." The blonde princess said while looking at them suspiciously. "Oh, my god! You're pregnant?!" She excitedly asked Bloom and the fairy of the dragon flame looked at her with wide eyes.

"Where did you come up with that?" She asked rather nervously and Thoren gave her a smile.

"You're glowing." He said simply and Bloom looked over at Sky.

"She's glowing with happiness because we just got engaged." He told the other two and Daphne gasped while Thoren stared at them with wide eyes.

"Really? Oh, that's so great!" Daphne was nearly jumping with excitement.

"Congratulations, you two." Thoren said while putting a hand on Sky's shoulder and giving him and Bloom a reassuring smile.

"Thanks. We should go and tell the others now." Bloom said after she and Daphne hugged tightly and the blonde wished her all the happiness in the world.

"It's already time for our meeting anyways." Sky said while looking at the huge clock in the distance. The four climbed down the tree and walked towards the library, Bloom and Daphne excitedly discussing wedding details while Sky and Thoren watched their partners with amusement.

With Aisha and Nabu...

The married couple had been comfortably living in the palace with their little girl. Lana was growing up fast, having already reached the age of 4 months. She was now grabbing at things and close to being able to sit up correctly. The new parents were amazed and afraid at how fast she was changing.

"Where is my little mermaid?" Nabu asked as he entered their shared bedroom, having just come back from his last shift. Aisha smiled at her husband while she worked on closing her purple dress as they would be having dinner in just a couple hours.

"She's asleep now. Can you help me?" She asked him and Nabu walked towards her with a smile. He gently kissed the top of her head before closing the dress. "Thank you." She turned back to look at him and gave him a grateful smile.

"No problem. By the way, you look amazing in this dress, you should wear it more often." He told her and she laughed. They shared a kiss that was quickly interrupted by crying.

"Everytime." Aisha complained before both walked towards the crib where the little girl had been napping. Gorgeous blue eyes looked innocently back at them as the now smiling little girl tried to grab Nabu's hand. The wizard laughed before picking her up.

"I've missed you too, baby girl." He cooed and Aisha watched as the little girl laughed with him.

"You are so great with kids, really." She commented with a huge smile that Nabu returned.

"So are you, Aisha. I'm glad to see how much you've grown over the past few months and how close you and Lana have become." Her smile enlarged as she thought of how easier being a mother had become and how she'd grown to like it.

"I'm glad too. It was so hard at first and I really didn't feel it, but now I love being a mother. I'm sure it will be easier with the next ones." It took her a while to realize what she said, but once she did, she stared at him unsurely. Ever since Lana had been born, they had avoided talking about having other children, wanting to enjoy their time spent with her. But it had been 4 months and they'd be lying if they said that the thoughts never crossed their minds.

"Aisha, are you saying that you want to have more children?" Nabu questioned, suddenly serious. The fairy of waves sighed.

"I'm sorry for touching the subject, I know that we agreed not to talk about it until we knew that we were ready." She replied and Nabu cast her a smile.

"It's okay, it was about time we discussed this. So, what do you think?" She didn't need time to gather her thoughts for she already knew the answer to his question. As she answered, she was proud of herself for coming so far, from not wanting kids at all when they started their relationship to wanting them more than anything now.

"I would love to have more children, when Lana gets older. And I think that she would adore having a little brother or sister too." He was taken by surprise, but happiness soon overcame him. He put the baby girl back in her crib, to which she made sure that her complaints were heard, and stepped forwards to pull Aisha closer to him so that they could share a passionate kiss. She knew that this was his way of saying yes and happiness overcame her as well.

"So, I take it that this was a yes?" She questioned after they pulled apart, both breathless.

"Yes." Nabu told her with the biggest smile she had seen since the day Lana was born. She smiled too, happy for him, for them. She wished that they could all be happy, though she knew some of her friends weren't. "Now we better get going, our meeting with the others is in 10 minutes." He added and so Aisha picked Lana up and the couple left the room. When they met their friends back in the library, they would comment on how they were almost glowing.

With Stella and Brandon...

Their lives were going pretty well, considering their situation. Stella had a hard time getting used to not being a princess and not having everything, but as usual, Brandon had helped her. They had some fun exploring the palace and just being together. Stella wasn't too happy about postponing their wedding, but she knew that when she got married she would like it if her parents were there. So she waited.

She always hated waiting, even when she was little, but some things take time. She waited until she met the guy she knew was the one, though that didn't take long. She waited until he asked her to date him and until he proposed. Well, that had taken a while. And she waited until they got married, though that was still far in the future. And now she would have to do some more waiting.

"Stella? Are you there?" Brandon asked once he entered the room. He had come to get her so that they could go to their weekly group meeting in the library. Usually she would be there already by this hour, but this time she wasn't and the brunette specialist worried.

"In here." She answered quietly and he followed her voice until their large closet. She found her there, wearing a blue dress she loved while she stared at herself in the mirror. This wasn't unusual, so his worried diminished.

"Hey, babe. Why aren't you at the library yet?" He asked her while wrapping his arms around her from behind. Soon he noticed the various clothes scattered around the floor and a smile came to his face. "Can't decide what to wear?" He playfully asked and Stella glared at him in the mirror.

"It's not funny." She complained while crossing her arms over her chest. "Nothing fits." She added and Brandon gave her his usual look when she was overreacting.

"Stella, if you want new clothes, you just have to ask Flora." He told her, deciding against scolding her.

"I know, but she has been so stressed lately, I don't want to bother her." Stella said with genuine concern for her friend. "Besides, the problem is not that I don't like these dresses, they really don't fit anymore." These words unsettled him and he found himself curious.

"But how can they just not fit anymore?" He asked and she frowned before answering.

"Because I'm fat." She complained and Brandon knew exactly how to stop her from going down that hole.

"You're beautiful and even more so in this dress. I love it." His compliments did nothing to ease her and she stared at him with a frown.

"Brandon, you're not getting what I'm saying." She complained loudly and she pushed him away as she walked away from the closet and into their bedroom. The confused specialist followed her.

"Then why don't you make it easier for me to understand?" He questioned and Stella sighed deeply.

"Okay. But you better sit down." She told him seriously and both sat down on the bed. Upon seeing how nervous she looked, Brandon started freaking out, but he made sure not to let her notice that.

"What's going on, Stel? Is everything okay?" He asked worriedly and she gave out a nervous laugh.

"Yes, it's just... I think I'm pregnant." She blurted out and Brandon stared at her with wide eyes.

"Are you... Are you sure?" He asked and she nodded.

"Well, not completely sure because there are no tests here, but the symptoms match." She said seriously and awaited for his reaction. Many different emotions crossed his face. Surprise, shock, worry. "How would you feel if it was true?" She asked nervously and worriedly.

"I'd be surprised, sure, but it's a good thing, right?" A smile lightened his face as he thought about it. "I mean, we both wanted kids, though I didn't expect it to happen so soon. But I'd be happy if it was true." He told her and she smiled brightly.

"How is it possible that you always knows exactly what to say?" She asked him through happy tears and he took her hand in his.

"You taught me that, as you've taught me many things about relationships. Stella, if you're pregnant, I'll be by your side for whatever you need, okay? We're in this together." He told her seriously and she smiled.

"I know. I love you, my handsome hero." She declared and he stared at her with such happiness and excitement that she couldn't not smile.

"As I love you, my golden princess. Forever." He said and they kissed gently, lovingly. It was perfect and it was right, but it had to end when their need for air surpassed their need for each other. Once they pulled apart, Brandon took the opportunity to gently caress her stomach. "And I love you too, baby. We're going to have so much fun together." She laughed and soon he joined in too. They were so happy, almost blissful. But then they remembered.

"The meeting. I'm sure we're late." Stella commented and he nodded in agreement before standing up and extending his hand. She gladly took it and they walked to the library with renewed hope. Their friends took notice of it just as they took notice of the way Stella was glowing.

With Musa and Riven...

"Are you sure about this?" Musa asked her boyfriend as they sat in the library. They had come early to the group's weekly meeting and so they took advantage of the little time they had alone. With Musa's singing career and Riven's guard duties, they barely got to spend time together. But they still managed to and their relationship was okay, though Musa still found herself wishing that he would propose soon. She understood why he didn't, that he wasn't ready for marriage, but she still wished for it.

"Well, not so sure. But yeah, it's not a terrible idea." Riven replied with a nervous smile.

"Okay, then. I'll talk to Nick about it then." She mentioned her newfound friend and the head of the palace musiciens. Nicolas Gombert had become close to the both of them for he helped Musa with her career and sometimes gave advices to Riven. The maroon specialist wasn't jealous at all about having his girlfriend spending time with another man, mostly due to him being around 40 and clearly not having any romantic interest in Musa.

"I'm sure he'll find it funny." Riven said, getting even more nervous about their plans. It had been Musa's ideas and she had come up with it 2 weeks previous. He had said no at first, but with every day her idea started getting more brilliant and less idiotic. Of course, Riven was no pro at singing, but he knew how to do it. And the prospect of singing a duet with Musa at King Henry's 37th birthday was a great opportunity.

"Riven, I know you're nervous but I'm sure that everything will go just smoothly. " Musa was quick to reassure him and he was ready to argue, but the arrival of Bloom, Sky, Thoren and Daphne interrupted their argument. Soon, everyone had arrived in the library except for Flora. The 13 friends didn't mention her disappearance since they were sure that the nature fairy was probably taking a walk by then. "She will come soon." Bloom easily reassured her friends. Of course, in that moment, she had no idea how wrong she was. There was silence for a few minutes as the friends waited for her to arrive. Then, all of sudden, there was a bright light that startled them and some even jumped. Not only did it take them by surprise, but they could feel something coming from whatever had caused it. Something that they hadn't felt since they arrived in this new world, something they knew wasn't possible there. Magic.

So,what did you think? What did Tecna discover? And what is behind the bright light?

What are your thoughts on the BloomXSky engagement and StellaXBrandon pregnancy? What about Flora and Helia? What did you think of their decision?

I'M SO SORRY THAT I TOOK SO LONG TO POST THIS CHAPTER, NEXT ONE WILL COME BY THE WEEKEND. If it reaches 191 votes before that, I'll post it sooner. It's up to you.


	22. Is it over?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise visit leads the Winx to find answers that they had been hoping for months, but it is nothing like they expected. After learning of so much tragedy and heartbreak, they start wondering if things could get any worse. But they can, they always can.

Hello, people. Thanks for your hits. As promised, here we have chapter 22.  
This next two chapters are just pure tragedy. If you thought that Catherine's story was tragic, think again. It will be heartbreaking. 

Ah, one thing that you need to remember for this chapter, (kinda of a spoiler really) is that time goes by differently in the book and in the "real world". The difference is that when time passes in the book, it doesn't count in the 'real world', while the opposite isn't true, as you'll see in this chapter. I hope that's cleared up!  
Happy reading! Or not. 

"What the hell?" Musa was the first to speak, or rather scream, after the light appeared. She had jumped and now she stood up with Riven standing protectively by her side while both stared at it with wide eyes.

"This is impossible!" Stella said, her face was pure white as she attempted to keep herself standing and she felt a bit faint. Brandon stared at her worriedly while he helped her stand up.

"It's magic, I can feel it." Bloom said from her spot sitting on a chair. Aisha looked over at her for a minute from her position in Nabu's lap as they sat in another chair.

"I know, so can I. But how is it possible?" Bloom's response was cut short when the light faded away to reveal someone they were starting to think that they would never see again. The group of 13 stared at her with wide eyes as she stumbled for a bit before regaining balance. Once she had, she looked over at the shocked people in the room and cast them a sad smile.

"Hey, guys." She said nervously and Musa and Stella screamed.

"No way!" Bloom reacted calmer than them, but her voice showed how nervous and scared she was.

"Guys, I think... I think that I might be hallucinating." She commented and the others looked at her worriedly.

"I don't think it's an hallucination, Bloom. Considering that we can all see her and that group hallucinations are rather uncommon, this is real." Tecna replied, looking sicker than they had ever seen. They worried over how terrible she looked, but decided to ask about it later.

"But how?" Aisha said incredulously and this time Tecna shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know. From what Flora told us, it seemed as if it's impossible to use magic here." She told them unsurely. At the mention of the nature fairy, everyone momentarily forgot about the guest.

"Where is she anyways?" Stella asked and Aisha was quick to add.

"It's not like her to be late. Something might have happened." The fairy of waves said worriedly, but Riven spoke before anyone else could get much worried.

"Ah, relax girls. She's fine." They stared at him suspiciously after hearing this.

"And how would you know?" Aisha argued and Riven laughed, making her even angrier. He stopped after a glare from Musa.

"Have you forgotten that I was assigned as her bodyguard?" He commented and recognition passed through their faces. "She told me that she wanted some time alone tonight, take a walk around the palace, so I let her go." The anger that had momentarily escaped Aisha came back full force.

"So you let her walk alone? Do you have any idea how stupid that idea was?" The fairy of waves screamed at him, having stood up by now. Nabu gave Riven an apologizing look, but did nothing to attempt to calm her down. He knew better than to talk to her when she was this angry.

"Hey, she was the one who suggested it. She's obviously tired of having someone following her everywhere. What was I supposed to do?" The maroon specialist fought back and, as usual, Bloom chose to intervene before the argument could go any further.

"Guys, please stop this. Neither of you is entirely right, but there's nothing we can do now. Let's just hope that there isn't an attack tonight." The fairy of flames said firmly and the two sighed in defeat.

"Okay. Sorry, Bloom. I'm just worried, she's my best friend and she could be in great danger." Aisha said sorrowfully and Bloom gave her an understanding look.

"We're all worried, Aisha. But we'll find Flora, as soon as we're done here." She reassured the fairy of waves, who still looked unsure, so Nabu handed silent (for once) baby Lana to Stella, who was closest to him, and stood up. He took Aisha's hand in his and gave it a light kiss.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Aisha. Right now you just have to stay calm so that we can be done with this faster." He told her gently yet firmly and she nodded her head before hugging him tightly. Having his arms around her protectively, against what her younger self would believe, made her calm down easier.

"Not that I don't like seeing you guys work together, but we're running out of time here." The guest spoke for the first time since they started talking about Flora and the group looked back at her.

"Okay. Then please explain everything to us, Roxy." Bloom told the fairy of animals, who stood before them. She wore her usual outfit, but there was definitely something different about her. Her eyes conveyed a deep sadness that they had never seen before and they could see that there were a few scars and bruises along her arms. They wondered who was behind those injuries and they feared the answer.

"Of course." Roxy replied with a smile before she sighed. "But you'd better sit down, because this will be a long story." She told them and they nodded before everyone sat down. They stared at her intensely while they waited for her to reveal what had happened in the Magic Dimension while they were gone.

Back in Scotland...

Greer stood by Mary's side while the young queen sat in her comfortable bed in complete silence. They said nothing as both girls were lost in their own thoughts."I'm so sorry!" Mary broke the silence, finding it unbearable. Greer cast her the saddest of smiles.

"It's not your fault, Mary." She replied simply and Mary sighed.

"I know, but I can't help but feel guilty." She told her usually bubbly friend who was now serious and quiet.

"Me too. I keep thinking that there must have been something that I could have done." There was a knock on the door to Mary's bedroom and Mary said a quiet "come in".

"Hey there." Leith entered the room carrying a bouquet of lilies, Greer's favorite flowers. She smiled at him and she stood up to give him a hug after he approached them.

"Thanks for the flowers, they're beautiful." She told him with a small smile and he nodded.

"Of course. Anything I can do to make you feel better." He told her lovingly and Mary smiled at the couple.

"I really miss that, having someone that is willing to do whatever it takes to make me happy. It's been a while." She confessed with a deep sigh and Greer cast her a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure that you'll find love again, Mary." The brunette shook her head.

"I don't know if I even want to. After losing Will, I don't want to go through that again." There was silence once again as they didn't know what to say to make her feel better.

"We'd better get going, the funeral is going to be in about an hour." Leith broke the silence after a couple minutes and Greer sighed.

"I am so not looking forward to this." She said quietly and sadly and Leith squeezed her hand while giving her a sad smile.

"I know, love. But we have to be there, it's your parents we're talking about. I know that you'd never forgive yourself if you missed your chance to say goodbye." He told her a bit firmly and Greer sighed once again before standing up from the bed.

"You're right. Though I didn't have the best relationship with my father, I must be there. So, let's go." She said with determination and Mary and Leith stood up as well and followed her outside the door. Their walk to the nearby church was a silent one, each lost in their thoughts.

Greer thought of her family and all the happy times she had had with them. She knew that she would miss her parents more than anything and there was a small part of her that felt angry at them for getting into this situation. It wasn't their fault that an attack was sent towards their house, they weren't expecting it. It was pure luck that Colleen and Ellen, her younger sister, hadn't been there. Coleen was 15 and she had recently married a noble of Scotland and so they were living in their own home. As for Ellen, she was about 8 and she had gone on a walk around the city when their house had been attacked. Her two sister, thankfully still alive. So that's what Greer chose to focus on.

Arriving at the church, they were met with the sight of a nervous looking Colin, who stood in the entrance. Upon seeing them, he ran their way. "There you are! I've been looking for you for ages." He said while trying to regain his breath. Fear settled in Greer and Mary as they wondered why he had been searching for them.

"Is everything okay with Lola?" Mary was quick to ask and a nervous smile came to his face.

"Yeah, except for the fact that she's having the baby." Greer rolled her eyes.

"We already know that. Why were you searching for us then?" She questioned him and he looked at her excitedly.

"I meant right now." Their eyes widened as the two friends shared a look while Leith gave Colin a smile.

"Oh, so she's in labour?" Mary questioned and Colin nodded.

"That's great! I'm so happy for you two." Greer told him with a bright smile."Mary, why don't you return to the castle with Colin?" She then turned to her best friend, who looked at her unsurely.

"Are you sure that you'll be okay?" The young queen asked and Leith answered while wrapping an arm around his wife.

"Don't worry, Mary. I'll be here for her. You should be with Lola right now." He reassured her and Mary smiled at him and nodded. After she and Colin wished the young couple good luck, they quickly ran to the carriage that awaited them.

Back with the Winx...

"Okay, so I'm not sure how to say this..." Roxy began telling her tale and she nervously laughed. An impatient Riven glared at her.

"Just tell us, as you just said, we don't have all the time in the world!" His rude comment caused him to be hit in the shoulder by Musa.

"Stop being a jerk!" She screamed angrily and he put up his hands in defeat.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. Will you stop hitting me?" He apologized quickly and Musa sat back in his lap with a triumphant smile.

"I had almost forgotten about how you two are." Roxy commented with a smile and Tecna, looking pale and tired, spoke next.

"So, what happened in the Magic Dimension while we were gone?" The technology fairy asked and her friends didn't miss the way her voice was weak and how Timmy cast her a worried glance. They chose not to ask about it yet, there were more important things to be solved.

"Well, If I'm being honest, we can't really say that the Magic Dimension exists anymore." The fairy of animals replied with deep sadness and the group was confused.

"What do you mean, Roxy?" Bloom asked her fearfully and Roxy sighed.

"After you disappeared, the Trix resumed their quest to control all of the magic schools, but they didn't stop there. After conquering Red Fountain, we feared that they might go after Alfea, but it seems as if they wished to leave us for last. Their magic was way too powerful due to the Legendarium's aid and they were able to conquer everywhere without much trouble. So, after taking control of Red Fountain, they started attacking the planets."

She paused then and there were horrified gasps as the Winx thought of what could have happened to their planets, their homes. "Andros was first, I guess because of their vulnerability due to Aisha's father being sick." The mention of her father made the fairy of waves' heart hurt. She had thought a lot about him ever since they had become trapped in this new reality, wondering if he would be alright or if her disappearance would make his condition worsen."It was surreal how easily they managed to destroy Andros, I never thought they could be so strong. They used a few monsters, compliments of the Legendarium, and attacked the palace directly. King Therendor had just suffered a heart attack, as I was told, and Queen Niobe was so concentrated on bringing him back that she didn't even fight the monsters. They were both killed, I'm afraid to say, and Andros was taken." Silence followed that statement as the Winx tried to take it all in.

"NO!" A muffled gasp was heard and everyone turned their heads to the fairy of waves, who had her hand covering her mouth and a look of pure horror on her now pale face. Nabu's face mirrored hers and the little girl in his arms started crying loudly just then.

"It can't be!" Nabu added in his own disbelieving comment and Roxy stared at the couple with an understanding expressions.

"I am so sorry! I wasn't there that day, I was trying to find a way to defeat the Trix in the library, but if I was, I would have done everything I could to save your parents, Aisha." The fairy of waves shook her head vigorously while tears ran down her face.

"My parents, they can't be dead." The others remained silent, letting her take her time for the truth to sink in. It took a few minutes, with Nabu holding her tight and rocking her, Lana safely back in Stella's arms. The Andros couple finally stopped comforting each other after a few minutes and stared at Roxy with sadness and despair.

"They weren't the only ones, were they? You said that no one was able to fight off the Trix, so Andros wasn't the only place to be destroyed." Aisha pointed out sadly and Roxy nodded her head.

"No, it wasn't the only one. After Andros was successfully taken, they went after the other planets, one at a time. Solaria was second, though they had a hard time defeating King Radius and Luna. Then they went for Limphea and Eraklyon. Both planets were taken in the matter of days, not weeks as it took with Domino and Zenith. I remember being in Limphea, as I aided princess Krystal, though once we realized that there was no way we were going to win that fight, she told me to go back to Alfea.

She was killed not many minutes later and I was forced to watch her die, unable to do anything. My magic was running low back then and it was a miracle that I was able to survive. Thankfully, Nebula was there and she saved me, unfortunately getting herself killed in the process. She was able to send me back to Earth, where my parents had been hiding and I stayed with them. I was lucky that they survived this mess, since they didn't join the other rulers due to my mom's pregnancy." They listened on her tale with heavy hearts as the names of friends who died were said.

"Krystal." Helia said somberly, and they turned to look at him cautiously since he hadn't spoken ever since they had gotten to the library. "She was my friend. First I lost Flora, now her?" He asked no one in particular and he ignored the sorrowful looks sent his way.

"What happened to Flora?" Roxy asked, confused and scared.

"It's a long story." Bloom told her after a sigh. "What about my parents? Are they alive?" She asked, a last bit of hope shining in her voice.

"No, they were killed too. Domino was saved for last since your parents are more skilled and have participated in the Company of Light. It took weeks for the Trix to kill them, but they did. Now, about your earth parents, I'm not so sure. I think they might still be alive." Her words made the last bit of hope that any of them carried fade away and they were left with nothing but pure sadness.

"So everyone we know is dead." Stella said and Aisha was next, having calmed down after receiving the news of her parents's death.

"We can't tell Flora about any of this. It will break her, if she's not broken already." Bloom and Helia nodded in agreement.

"She's lost so many people already, she won't recover if she hears that her parents are dead and everyone else." Helia added, looking numb.

"So we agree not to tell her yet. Now what do we do?" Tecna said and she frowned as she attempted to suppress a groan. Musa and Riven, who were closest to them, noticed the sweat on her forehead and this alarmed them even more.

"Tecna, are you okay?" Timmy questioned worriedly and she gave him a nod.

"Yes, my throat is just hurting really bad because I have a cold." She cast him an intense look that the others didn't understand and Timmy sighed before going silent. Before anyone could ask them what was going on, Bloom spoke up.

"You told us about our parents, now what about Headmaster Saladin and Miss Faragonda?" The fairy of the dragon flame asked.

"Can we assume that they're gone too?" Daphne added and everyone stared at the fairy of animals in expectation, already dreading her answer.

"Well, about that." Roxy started and the room was silent once again. She nervously picked on the necklace she had been wearing as she prepared to tell them about the real reason why she had been searching for them.

In Flora's chateau...

Two figures wearing blue capes quietly broke into the now empty chateau. The first one used a a huge rock to break the window before helping the second one in. They made sure to be quick in entering the house so that the possibilities of being seen would be slim.

"Well, that was easy." One of them said as she removed her hood to reveal brown eyes and long brunette hair that was loose.

"I told you." The other replied as he took off his own cape to reveal black hair and eyes. She smiled at him and they shared a quick kiss.

"Now come on, Bash, we better hurry." She told him after they broke apart and he nodded, so both climbed the stairs. She kept her head down as she tried to hide the guilt she felt in doing what they were doing, but he noticed anyways. He always noticed when she tried to hide her emotions and that was one of the things she loved about him.

"Kenna." He said her name and she stopped. They were halfway through the stairs and she noticed that he was staring at her intensely, worry clear on his face.

"We shouldn't stop, we don't have much time." Her attempt of avoiding the conversation she knew was coming was unsuccessful.

"You don't have to pretend like you don't feel guilty about doing this, it's clear on your face." He told her firmly yet gently and she sighed.

"I just feel like I'm betraying her, doing this behind her back." Bash knew who she was talking about and he let out a sigh.

"I know it feels that way and I don't like the idea of doing this to Flora either, but it's necessary. You said so yourself, there's something off about Catherine." He replied and Kenna's determination came back.

"So we need to do this, for the king's sake. After all, he might be in danger." Bash nodded at her words and they resumed climbing the stairs. The guilt that previously filled Kenna was gone as she concentrated on what was most important. Soon they reached the bedroom that used to belong to Catherine and there were setbacks.

"It's locked." Bash said simply after he attempted to push the door open.

"So that means we're on the right track." Kenna said after she attempted to open the door herself, to no avail. "She definitely doesn't want anyone going in there." She commented and Bash nodded.

"She's hiding something." He added and there was silence as both tried to come up with a way to open the door. After a few minutes, Bash decided to try the easiest way: finding a key. They searched for a few minutes through the entire house, but there was nothing. No sign of any keys. "Perhaps we should try plan B." She raised her her eyebrows.

"And what is plan B?" She questioned and Bash smiled before picking up a chair in Nostradamus' old laboratory.

"Brute force." He answered simply and Kenna gave him an impressed look. It took throwing the chair at the door about 3 times, but it finally broke down. As they entered the room, both could feel a strange energy that, if the Winx were there, they would know that it was magic. But Kenna and Bash weren't aware that Catherine had magic or that she had put a magical barrier around the door, one that apparently wasn't too strong. So they entered the room and ignored the energy they felt.

"It looks empty." Kenna commented frustratingly while she looked around the room. There was an empty bed, a table and an opened closet.

"Maybe I was wrong, maybe there's nothing here." Bash commented, mentioning his idea of coming to Catherine's chateau. It had arisen a few days before during dinner. Himself and Kenna had been investigating Catherine Blanchet for a while now, but they had come up with nothing to incriminate her or explain her weird behavior sometimes. Until Bash suggested that maybe there would some answers in the woman's old chateau, where Musa, Riven, Helia and Leonardo had been living for the past 3 months.

The two of them had considered the idea and Kenna had found it brilliant. So they had waited until all residents were gone so that they could do some research and luck had been on their side that night since Musa, Riven and Helia were off at some meeting and Leonardo was in the palace after having been asked to paint a portrait of the king for his upcoming birthday.

"No, Bash. Look!" Kenna pointed at the small bedside table where they could clearly see there was something hidden. They walked towards it and the couple realized it was a small notebook, carefully tucked under the bedside table and easy missed by those who weren't investigating the place. Kenna carefully picked it up and a piece of paper that had been inside it fell to the ground. Bash picked it up and both stared at it's contents with curiosity. There was portrait of a family of 5 in a beautiful looking house. Flowers decorated each of their clothes and the mother held a small bouquet of those. Her two children, a young girl of about 12 and a young boy of about 4 smiled at the painter. Their father had his arms wrapped in a hug around his wife and he portrayed a smile as well. The last member of the family was an older looking women who smiled just as brightly.

"Are they her family?" Kenna muttered under her breath and Bash remained silent. "Why would she hide this picture here? And why wouldn't she tell Flora about them? I remember how Flora told me that she knew pretty much nothing about her grandparents and all she knew about her uncle is that his name was Alex." She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice that her boyfriend wasn't paying much attention and was looking at the picture intensely.

"This can't be possible." The young man muttered under his breath and Kenna was worried when she noticed that his face was devoid of color.

"What can't be possible? And are you okay?" She asked and Bash shook his head.

"I know these people, Kenna. I was there the day they died." He told her somberly and she stared at him in shock.

"What? How?" Before she could ask anymore questions, he spoke again.

"Well, there's no way I would remember it cause I was only one. But the thing is, my parents do and they've showed me pictures of them. They were friends with them, back when they used to live in Italy." This new piece of information shocked her even further.

"Italy? Your parents lived in Italy?" She questioned, confused and he nodded.

"Yes, a long time ago. They met in Florence, since that's where my dad used to live. They lived there for a few years until the Italian wars when they ran away with me. They became good friends with the Mediccis, Catherine's family, before that." Recognition crossed her face.

"Mediccis? Where do I know this name from?" She asked herself and Bash answered for her.

"They were the most powerful italian noble family. Their treasure was so great it challenged the one of many royal families. They were killed during the war, Kenna, my parents found their house just after the fire. Everyone believed that the entire family had died, but apparently, Catherine escaped." She remembered then what she had learned about the Italian wars and fear settled in her stomach.

"The Italian wars were caused by France, it was King Henry's father that sent his army to destroy the Mediccis." Bash completed the sentence, knowing exactly where she was going.

"So if Catherine escaped, she might be looking for revenge. We have to warn the king." Bash stated firmly and Kenna nodded. They bolted out of the room with the book and the picture safely hidden in the pocket of Bash's suit and they were making their way downstairs when they heard an unknown voice.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" The couple shared confused looks while they wondered who might be there. Considering the voice didn't belong to anyone they knew, therefore anyone who should be in the house, they decided to go down the stairs and check it out.

"Who are you?" The woman jumped once she heard Kenna scream, having thought that she was alone. She was dressed in simple clothes and the couple assumed that she was a maid. She looked nervous and tired as she kept looking outside the window as if she expected someone to come barging in.

"I am so glad to see that you're here." The woman said, confusing them. Before they could ask anything else, she continued. "But I need to be fast, there isn't much time and he'll kill me if he finds out that I'm here." They were even more confused, but the maid barely paid them any attention. "Now, Miss. Flora, will you please take a sit? I have something very important to tell you."

"Miss Flora?" Kenna questioned, her suspicions rising. She and Bash shared a look before they decided to sit down and hear this woman out. After all, it would do no harm for them to hear her explanations to why she had said Flora's name when she clearly wasn't familiar with the King's daughter, since Flora had never mentioned her before.

Back in the library...

"About a week ago, Alfea was attacked. As with every other school and planet, we fought with all of our strength, but it was no use. The Trix beat us and those who didn't die were forced to become their slaves. Even Miss. Faragonda, Headmaster Saladin and Headmistress Griffin were no match for them. Saladin died while protecting Miss Faragonda and Miss. Griffin was taken as their slave. Now, the Trix knew that if someone could find you and bring you back, it would be Miss. Faragonda, so they killed her too." Her statement was met with gasps and disbelieving expressions.

"So it's all over. The Trix won." Bloom said gloomily and Roxy shook her head.

"Not yet. There's still something that we can do." Before she could explain it to them, Musa interrupted her.

"Wait a minute, there's something that doesn't fit." The fairy of music said, confused and suspicious. "How did you find us?" She then asked and Roxy face palmed.

"Oh, right, I had almost forgotten about that part. Before she died, Miss Faragonda told me that it would be my mission to find you, so I started searching. The Trix didn't pay much attention to me, which was good, because I was able to break into Cloud Tower as I searched for clues. While there, I discovered that Selina, you remember her right? She was working with the Trix and she was the one who brought the legends within the Legendarium to life." There were nods and Bloom sighed sadly.

"I can't believe that she was involved in such terror, she used to be so sweet and nice. I guess I just don't know her anymore." Sky reassuringly squeezed her hand and this time Roxy actually smiled.

"That's the thing, she wasn't really working with them. As I found out, she had tried to get out of it after the Trix took over Red Fountain, but they used a spell to control her, so she was forced to do what they wanted her to. While I was in Cloud Tower, she told me about it and she asked me to help her regain her freedom. I don't know why, but I believed her. So I distracted the Trix, nearly getting myself killed in the process, and Selina was able to prepare a potion that broke their control over her. Miraculously, both of us managed to escape. While we hid in the forest, near Lake Roccaluce, Selina told me a bit about Catherine and how she had been the one to send you here. She said that you disappeared into the book, so I used my magic to try to enter it as well, thinking that you had become trapped in it. And well, that's it."

"This is so crazy!" Stella said and Musa let out a humorless laugh.

"After everything we've been through here, I guess that's the least crazy thing we've heard." She said and there were nods. Bloom remained silent, thoughtful, because there was still something missing.

"Roxy, how are we supposed to fix this situation?" She questioned and Roxy looked serious as she prepared to tell them about the craziest part of the whole story. However, once again, she was interrupted.

"Okay, I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just can't take it anymore." It was Helia and he had suddenly stood up, looking more anxious and worried than they had ever seen.

"Is something wrong, Helia?" Aisha's worried question was followed by Bloom's.

"Are you okay?" The blue haired specialist shook his head vigorously.

"This isn't about me." This confused them greatly, but he continued before they could question him. "It's Flora, something's wrong with her. She's in danger, I know it!" His desperation made his friends even more worried. This was unlike him, even with all the hardship that he had gone through ever since they had gotten there, he had never seen so desperate and lost.

"Okay, then. We'll find her now." Bloom commanded while giving him a reassuring look and he nodded.

"But how are we going to do that? We have no idea where she went." Stella said frustratedly and once again, Riven was quick to ease everyone's minds.

"I recall her saying that she was going to meet her parents, so maybe she's in their chambers." He commented and Musa gave him a smile.

"Good, so let's get going." Both of them stood up and looked at the others expectantly.

"I think the King's office is a more probable location, he has been spending a lot of time there lately, making plans for the war." Sky said and Bloom nodded in agreement.

"I agree with Sky, we should check it out first." Everyone nodded and so they left, Roxy following them. Stella, who stayed behind, quickly explained to teh fairy of animals what was going on. In front of them, Tecna and Timmy whispered quietly to each other.

"Tecna, are you sure that this is a good idea?" The orange haired specialist asked her unsurely.

"I know it's not, but we have to wait until things have calmed down." She replied weakly, grateful that he had his arms wrapped around her to keep her steady.

"We'll come clean then. We have to tell them about what we discovered, they can help us." She nodded in agreement to his words and they resumed being silent.

Once everyone reached the corridor that lead to the king's office, Helia stopped for a second before breaking into a run. The others followed him quickly and soon they found themselves just outside of the King's office. Before anyone could knock, there was a scream and they shared worried glances.

"What now?" Stella complained, fed up with all the tragedy.

So, what did you think of this one? Too tragic? You haven't seen anything, next chapter's the worst, I'm warning you.

What are your thoughts on Roxy's tale? How will the Winx be able to fix the situation regarding the Magic Dimension?

What will happen now that Kenna and Bash know who Catherine really is? And who is the woman they just met and what's her connection to Flora? And of course, what happened with said fairy? Who screamed?

Next chapter should come by Wednesday, if we can reach 200 hits. If not, it will come by next weekend. I'm warning you, it will be the most tragic chapter ever. If any of you have a problem with depression or suicidal thoughts, I advise you not to read it.


	23. The truth comes out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After 16 years, Flora finally discovers the truth about her mother's unfortunate life and the reasons behind the death of her family. Henry and Catherine have a heart breaking conversation when they wonder if it's even worth it trying anymore, after everything they've been through. Will the Winx and specialists reach them before everything goes down?

Sorry this chapter's a bit late, the next one won't take so long. I'll try to post it by Friday. 

I'll warn you that this is the most heartbreaking chapter I've ever written. I am feeling down right now, so I'll be spending the rest of my day watching comedies, because seriously, this is sad. This chapter is mostly about Flora, Henry and Catherine, but we do have some Flora X Helia scenes and also with the Winx and Specialists. I actually had fun writing this chapter, it is so intense that I could feel what the characters were feeling. I think it will go second in my fav chapter's list.

August 4th of 1543...

It was late at night and the palace was unusually quiet. The sound of footsteps was heard as a man walked along the corridors until he reached the door that led outside. He pushed it gently and stepped outside. He looked around at the quiet gardens before his eyes spotted the one he was searching for. He took a deep breath before walking towards the fountain where she sat. Her gaze was so focused on the water that she didn't notice when he reached her.

"Goodnight, love." He said gently and softly and she almost jumped.

"Henry!" She exclaimed while she stood up to stare at him. He gave her an apologizing look upon seeing the shock on her face.

"I'm sure I startled you, it wasn't my intention." Her face softened and she gave him a small smile.

"It's okay, I'm just glad you're here." She sniffed and he instantly went from curious to worried.

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" He asked and she shook her head as an answer.

"No, I'm not. I... I lost the baby." Catherine confessed sadly and his heart was filled with grief. It had been two weeks since she had given the news that she was pregnant once again and he had been filled with joy.

"That's terrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that again, love." He said before wrapping his arms around her comfortingly. She cried silently for a few minutes while he held her.

"Thanks for meeting me, I really needed some company now and I didn't want to interrupt Flora's sleep." She told him after they pulled apart. He gave her an understanding look.

"I understand perfectly. I truly wish that this didn't have to happen again." Both sighed as memories of the first time they had lost a child came to their minds. Not wanting to relive the pain yet, Catherine decided to change the subject.

"So, how was the meeting?" She questioned, mentioning to the earlier meeting he had had with his close friend and advisor, Charles Bonnaire.

"Oh, it was good. At least we have one less problem now." Henry commented, sounding uncomfortable.

"What problem are you referring to?" She asked, curious and confused.

"Well, I'm sorry for not telling you before, but you remember the Italian wars, right?" She nodded slowly, fearing where this might be going. "We found out that there was a survivor, a Medicci that apparently wasn't killed all those years ago." Now she was definitely afraid, so she increased the distance between them, stepping back until her legs hit the fountain.

"His name's Alexander and he was nominated as mayor of Florence a few days ago, which is how we found out that he was alive. I guess that he had been hiding before." She was barely hearing him, her mind focused on this new piece of information as disbelief crossed her face.

"This is impossible." She muttered, hoping that it had been low enough so that he wouldn't hear her. He looked at her confusingly.

"What?" She tried to calm herself down and act like these news didn't affect her at all.

"It's just shocking, that's all." She said nervously and his relaxed smile showed her that he believed her. "So,what exactly did you do about him?" Henry lowered his head.

"I had to get rid of him, he was a threat to us and we've already got enough trouble with England. So I sent Charles to do it, he just returned to tell me that his mission was successful." Rage and sadness filled her, but knew that losing control over her emotions would ruin everything. So she remained calm, at least from the outside.

"That's good to hear. Now, it's getting late, so I probably should head back in. Thank you for comforting me." She said with a fake smile and he gave her a sad one.

"I'm always here for you, you know that. Good night." He wished and she nodded before walking away. Her destination was her chateau where she planned on having the bottle of wine that she had recently purchased so that she could get drunk and not feel the pain anymore. It was overwhelming. Upon getting there, she was surprised to see there were lights, so she hurried, fear filling her. She entered the house and almost screamed when she saw someone near the stairs.

"Oh, good night, Catherine." It was William, looking tired yet blissfully happy. She eyed him suspiciously.

"William. I didn't know that you were back already." She commented and he gave her an apologizing look.

"Yeah, Mary and I just returned, I came to see Flora before going to see you and father." He told her and she couldn't help but smile upon seeing how happy he looked.

"I take it that your honeymoon was good." She said with a mischievous smile and he blushed.

"Yes, it was. Mary is amazing and I really like her." He said dreamily and Catherine laughed.

"Well, then perhaps we should celebrate." He looked at her confusingly before she disappeared into her kitchen to get the bottle wine and a couple glasses. She was surprised to spot a glass in the sink that was already filled with wine. "Must be Leonardo's. I guess he wouldn't mind if I used it, since he's nowhere in sight." She muttered to herself before she picked the glass and settled it on the table. She found the bottle already there, so she picked another glass and filled it. Getting the two glasses, she started walking back to the living room and she missed when a mysterious figure picked the bottle she had left behind and took it with them.

"Here. Let's make a toast for your happiness. May it last for a long time." Catherine told the young man after handing him his glass. He smiled at her before lifting it so that they could toast. Both drank the wine happily and the thoughts of what happened that day were momentarily forgotten from Catherine's mind. She was glad to have a peaceful moment with someone she loved, glad for his company when her own daughter was asleep.

The next day, when Prince William was found on his bedroom, having passed away due to the sweat disease, Catherine would wonder how this could have happened when he appeared so well before. It came as a shock to everyone and it left her with an uneasy feeling. That was when she suspected that there might be someone else in the castle, someone dangerous. Too bad she didn't have any idea just how dangerous the situation was.

Present day, in the King's Office (while the Winx were talking to Roxy)

After 20 minutes of walking around the palace, Flora finally reached her destination. Her father's office, where she was sure that her parents would be, probably discussing war plans. She sighed as she thought about what she was going to say, what she needed to say. She had to tell them just how broken she was, how badly their poor decisions had affected her.

"Let's just hope that they'll understand, they've been so unreasonable lately." She muttered to herself as she prepared to knock. She could hear voices coming from inside the office and she knew that they would be mad at her for interrupting them and for walking around alone.

"Honestly, Catherine, I don't understand why you've been so mad at me lately, you were the one that always wanted Flora to become queen." Her father's voice was heard and she found herself frozen, her right hand extended towards the door. But she didn't knock, she didn't even move.

"I know that and I'm happy that this plan is working." Catherine shot back loudly. "But I'm not stupid, I see how much this is hurting her and I really don't want her to turn out like me." Those words left the fairy of nature extremely confused and shocked and the arm that had lifted so that she could knock fell down as she silently pressed her ears towards the door, wanting to hear more.

"Now what do you mean, love?" Henry asked, sounding just as confused as she was. Catherine let out a deep sigh.

"I don't want her to be miserable for the rest of her life, haunted by the happy memories of the past. I just don't know how in the world I would ever be able to fix this." Her heartfelt confession was followed by silence.

"I don't think that there's anyway we'd be able to fix it by now. But what does this have to do with you being so mad at me?" Henry questioned, breaking the awkward silence and Flora didn't see the way her mother smiled bitterly.

"Do you really want to know the reason why I can't stand you right now?" Catherine asked and Flora missed the way her father eagerly nodded.

"Yes. I want to know what I could have possibly done to make you so angry." He said firmly and determinately and Catherine let out a sorrowful laugh.

"You mean besides feeding me with illusions of a happy life just before you married someone else?" Her statement was met with surprise for both Flora and Henry. The nature fairy pressed even closer to the door, curious about what they might be talking about. She had a guess, but one can never be too sure.

"Come on, Catherine. It's been 20 years, you need to let it go."Henry argued, tiredness clear in his voice and Flora got the feeling that they had had this argument way too many times.

"You're right. I'm so over your choice of marrying Diane against both of our wishes. But that's not the worse you did." This time Henry sounded more confused than Flora had ever heard him.

"What is it then? What have I done?" He questioned and Catherine remained silent for a few seconds.

"Because you killed my brother!" Flora had always known that her mother was a ticking time bomb, ready to explode at any second. She had always been told to be careful around her and she had seen all the terrible things that she had gone through. She had watched as her mother remained calm after losing her child, when talking about her family and when they lost Queen Isabella. But now, it seemed as if Catherine had had enough and all of the anger she had kept bottled up for all of those years resurfaced in that statement. The nature fairy was glad that she wasn't in that room in that moment.

"Wha... what?" Henry's reaction was pure shock and heartbreak.

"You killed my brother and I don't think that I'll ever be able to forgive you for that." Catherine repeated it, despair and anger clear on her voice. Then she exploded. Flora couldn't see her, but she guessed that her face must be filled with tears because she started crying. It was loud and out of control, two things that her mother never was.

She couldn't see her father either, but as soon as Catherine started crying, he looked at her with sorrow for a second before taking her in his arms. It was a beautiful scene, yet at the same time heartbreaking. If anyone would have seen it, they would immediately realize that the couple in the room were two people desperately in love, yet broken, perhaps, beyond repair. After everything they had been through, everything they suffered, it was a miracle that they were still alive.

As she felt her lover's arms wrap protectively and lovingly around her, Catherine's anger faded away even if for a few minutes and she let herself cry. She tried to release all of the pain she had kept bottled up for all of these years, the sorrow of losing her family and her children. She wanted to let it go, she wanted to be able to look into his eyes without seeing the destruction that his father had caused. She wanted to be able to love him wholly, without any anger behind every kiss or sorrow behind every touch.

They stayed like this for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts, unaware that their daughter, their only child, was hearing all of this. They had no idea that she was learning all of these new facts about them, truths that could fix or ruin their relationship. They were unaware that she had fallen to the ground, silently crying after hearing the pain in both their voices, after hearing how much they were suffering too.

In that moment, Flora was able to push her feelings, her suffering aside as she wondered how she couldn't see just how broken her mother was or how much her father was hurting. Her mind went back to the day she learned of her brother's death and she wondered if maybe it had affected them worse than she had assumed. She wondered if maybe she should have just done what was asked of her, without running away, if maybe she could have saved them a bit of pain. After all, it was her fault that this war had began. Well, maybe not her fault since she hadn't taunted the enemy, but it was about her. She was the main target and all her parents had been doing was trying to protect her, keep her alive.

"Maybe I am the one who's being unreasonable." She whispered, doubt and guilt filling her. She didn't have much time to dwell on that, though, because the conversation was far from over.

"I'm sorry. I've been a crying mess lately." Catherine apologized, her voice still hoarse and Flora missed the way henry smiled gently at her.

"It's okay. I knew that you were upset during the last few months, because we lost the baby." His voice broke at the last words and Flora found herself even more confused.

"After losing Rose I never thought that I would have to go through that pain again. I guess God decided it should be enough punishment for my sins." The nature fairy rolled her eyes upon hearing these words. Her mother's over religiously was usually okay, but sometime Catherine went too far.

"But what sins? If someone has committed them, it has been me." Henry replied, sounding guilty. Flora missed the way her mother shook her head vigorously.

"No, none of your sins could compare to what I've done. I know that I had my reasons and good ones, but that doesn't excuse my actions." He stared at her with mild suspicion and confusion.

"Catherine, is there something you haven't been telling me?" She let out a bitter laugh that made Flora flinch because her pain was so clear.

"There are many things that I haven't been telling you, Henry, my love." A sigh followed such mysterious statement. "And I can never do that, not when I could lose the only person that still loves me." That one left two broken souls, one wondering how could Catherine believe that she no longer loved her and the other wondering how he could make such clear pain and suffering go away.

"You know that you could never lose me." He reassured her while taking her hand and giving it a tight squeeze, an action that Flora always thought was very sweet.

"Oh, Henry, you have no idea." Catherine shook her head and it was clear that she wanted to tell him, but she remained silent.

"Please, tell me what's on your mind. Perhaps it will be easier not to have to handle these burdens alone." He pleaded and Flora was touched to be able to hear this heartfelt conversation, something that didn't occur often between those two. At least not that she knew.

"But I've been alone for the past 20 years and it's because of you." Catherine pulled away from him, her anger coming back unexpectedly. "I know that it's not really your fault, but sometimes it's hard to look at you because I keep thinking of what happened to me, what he did to me." She added after seeing the confused and hurt look on his face.

"Who has hurt you?" He questioned and she let out a deep sigh before answering shortly.

"Your father." Flora pressed herself even closer to the door, glad to finally have some information on her grandfather, someone her parents and Queen Isabella apparently had an agreement never to mention. The young girl had never understood why her parents seemed to have a thing for keeping her in the dark about her family and barely mentioning them. Even those who were alive, such as her grandmother Claude, whom her father had honored by giving her younger sister the same name, were pushed away from her. They became barely strangers and Flora was glad that the same hadn't been done with Will.

"My father?" The nature fairy barely heard her father's cautious reply. "What did he do to you?" There was doubt and curiosity on his voice.

"He started an useless war that took away many lives, innocent lives." Catherine quickly continued her explosion so he wouldn't be able to interrupt her. "He was the cause of the destruction of my family, even if indirectly." Henry looked at her, shocked.

"You're talking about the Italian wars, aren't you?" He said slowly and barely audible. Upon seeing the look of pure anger and sadness on her face, he gulped. "You were in Italy when the attacks were on." It wasn't a question, but she answered it anyways.

"Yes. I lived there my entire life up to that point." She knew what his next question would be and so she quickly added. "Catarina de Medicci. That used to be my name." She said softly and he instantly pulled away, staring at her in shock. Outside the office, the nature fairy had to sit down so that she could try to stop the spinning on her head that left her quite dizzy. Words hammered in her brain as she understood the absurdity of the situation.

"Medicci. You...They...I can't believe it!" He knew exactly who those were, having heard their names many times over the course of his life.

"I'm not asking for you to apologize, though I know you want to. All I'm asking is that you focus on that piece of information when I tell you the next one." She tried to calm him down and his face paled even more as he kept connecting the dots.

"You're a Medicci, your family was murdered. So you came to France for revenge, didn't you?" He didn't let her answer it. "My father's death, it wasn't Gepetto, it was you!" He accused madly and Catherine didn't flinch at the anger in his voice. Flora let out a gasp that she attempted to cover with her mouth so as not to be heard, but both of them were so focused on their argument that they didn't pay attention to it.

"I killed your father to avenge my family, I won't deny it. But what he did was far worse." His face softened for he knew that she was right. But then, anger came back as another thought occurred to him.

"So that means that you never loved me, you were just manipulating me and I was stupid enough to believe you." Having seen this one coming, Catherine was quick to interrupt him before he could say more.

"No, I might have lied about who I was, but I never lied when I said that I loved you. Trust me, it's not as if I wanted to, you were the son of my enemy, the man who ruined my life. But love comes when you least expect it and sometimes, the most unlikely person is the one to catch your heart." There was silence once again after such a heartfelt confession. Henry's anger disappeared and he took bold and yet unsure steps towards her.

"I guess you and I can agree on the unlikeness of our relationship. I would never expect to fall in love just weeks before my wedding to Diane." He commented and both laughed bitterly. There it was, another thing that Flora was always kept in the dark about. The story behind Will's mother.

"About Diane, there's something that you should know." Catherine began, unsurely while Henry's suspicious stare bore into her soul. "Her death wasn't entirely an unfortunate accident. Nostradamus was the one to infect her after I had the idea." She lowered her head and waited for the outburst that never came. When Henry spoke up, he sounded calm.

"So you're behind her death too. I had such suspicions before, but I decided to let it go. I didn't think that you'd be capable of murder, but I can see that we both changed over the course of the years." He paused and sighed, ignoring her look of surprise and disbelief. "You're not the only one who has made mistakes that lead to someone's death, Catherine. As King of France, I have been behind many deaths, including your brother's." His last words caused her to let out a sob, her heart breaking once again.

"Poor Alex, he was only a child when our lives were destroyed. He was forced to live all this time with no family, all alone, unaware that I was still here. It broke my heart to realize that life was so cruel to the point of setting us apart and never reunite us again." Her cries filled the room, but this time it was more controlled and when he tried to approach her, wanting to comfort her, she shook her head.

"I'm sorry that I was part of the reason why you never reunited with him. I know from what Flora told me, since you never spoke to me about your family, that you cared a lot about him." She gave him a small smile that he didn't understand.

"As you did for Diane. I guess we could say that we're even." She told him after another bitter laugh and he shook his head.

"Let's not fool ourselves here, we both know I didn't care for Diane as much as you did for your brother. She was the mother of my child, but that was it. You were always the one I loved." Both smiled after his declaration before his face turned serious, deadly serious." There is one thing that I have to ask you, though."

"What is it?" She curiously asked and he sighed deeply.

"You said that you were behind Diane's death, with the help of Nostradamus. What about William? Did you infect him too?" His tone was barely controlled and tears were threatening to fall from his eyes. It was then that Flora couldn't stay hidden anymore, so she stood up and forced the door open. Both gave her frightened looks that she ignored.

"This is unbelievable!" She screamed, unable to contain herself any longer. Her parents shared worried looks.

"Goodnight, princess. What are you doing here?" Henry asked nervously and Catherine's face was pure white as she stared at her daughter.

"How much did you hear?" She asked anxiously and desperately, ignoring the surprised looks that both gave her. "I'm your mother, I know you better than anyone else." She added and Flora sighed.

"Enough." Flora replied shortly and Catherine sighed before throwing herself at a chair. "Now, since we're all here and apparently you two are in the mood for sharing the truth, for once, I need to ask: mother, are you responsible for Will's death?" Both stared at the nervously looking blonde woman, who shook her head vigorously in answer.

"No, I loved Will like he was my own son and I never wished any harm upon him." They let out relieved sighs after hearing this, but she wasn't done yet. "But there's something else. His death was similar to Diane's, he was indeed infected by someone, with the same poison that Nostradamus made. I didn't kill him, but someone else broke into my chateau that night and put the poison on the wine." This statement made Flora shiver at the thought of someone breaking into her home and murdering her brother.

"Is that why you told me that there was a spy on the castle?" Henry questioned and Catherine nodded.

"Oh god, this is just too much." Flora said, starting to feel dizzy once again with all that information.

"Flora, I..." Catherine started, her face filled with fear and regret. The nature fairy cut her off before she could continue.

"I'm sorry, but I need some time alone right now. I can't deal with this craziness yet." With that said, she started walking towards the open door, ignoring their calls for her to return. Just as she reached it, she was pushed back with full force. It happened so fast that she barely saw who pushed her, but her parents did. They stared at the stranger with wide eyes while she sat up after hitting her head on her father's desk.

"What?" She let out while she tried to make the dizziness stop as well as her aching head. After putting her hand on where she suspected to be the cause of her pain, she let out a gasp after feeling something wet. Blood.

"I don't believe it!" Henry said in disbelief and anger. Catherine looked terrified and the mysterious man that had entered the room.

"Richard?" She asked and he smirked at her. He was wearing a cape that was now let down, his almost black eyes showing madness and his brown hair was now down to his shoulders.

"Hello, Catherine. Long time no see." He said shortly and by then Flora had managed to make the world stop spinning and she stared at him curiously.

"Who are you?" She asked him and her parents looked back at her in a way that suggested they had forgotten that she was there. She could see fear in their eyes and that increased the fear she felt herself.

"Ah, I see that your mommy and daddy haven't told you about me." Richard said with the same smirk he had given her mother and he slowly made his way towards her. Flora stepped back, but soon she hit the table once again. "Well, we are all old friends." With every word he said she could see the madness within and that scared her more than the Trix ever would. Because while the three witches might be a threat, they weren't as dangerous as a man that was clearly not in the right state of mind. And Flora knew that people like that had no control, therefore they were most likely to do terrible things a villain like the Trix wouldn't even consider.

"Now that's bullshit. We were never friends, specially not after you attacked and almost raped Catherine." Henry said angrily, ignoring the glare said woman sent his way. Everyone knows that making an unstable person angry is a terrible idea, but in that moment all Henry could think about was the anger he felt after seeing this man once again.

"You mean when you took her away from me." Richard replied calmly and yet furiously and Flora went back to being confused.

"What are you even talking about?" Catherine replied just as incautious as her lover.

"I loved you, Catherine. But after you chose him, after you humiliated and rejected me, that feeling was long gone. No, all I could think about was getting my revenge." He ignored her question and kept on with his mad speech, leaving the three other occupants of the room confused and afraid.

"You're insane." Henry stated shockingly and. against any of their expectations, Richard smiled.

"Maybe I am, but I have managed to overcome you." He replied with a sense of superioress and they were left confused. "After all, I took care of your daughter and your son." Those words left Henry in a state of pure rage.

"You! You killed my poor Claude and William!" He exclaimed and he lunged forward, but Catherine held his arm to stop him, looking paler than ever.

"You've been watching us, haven't you? After all, how would you have known about the stack of poisons that Nostradamus kept in his lab?" She questioned the insane man and he nodded.

"Indeed. I've been watching you ever since William's wedding, when I discovered that he was actually your son. I killed him to get my revenge on you, but later I found out that it wasn't so true." With each word he stepped backwards, something none of the understood. However, his intentions were clear when he stood right before the fairy of nature, who found herself still unable to stand up due to her aching head. In a quick movement, Richard knelt down and picked her up by the arm.

"No!" Catherine's fearful scream was followed by Henry's rageful one.

"Let her go!" Flora wanted to scream, but the sudden force of been forced to stand up made her get dizzy again and her head hurt so badly that she was unable to form any words. Soon Richard held her in his arms with a dagger, one that they hadn't seen before, pressed to her throat. It was an all too familiar scene and her heart hammered in her chest as she realized that her fate would most likely be much different from Tecna's.

"You sure have been with a lot of women, Henry. It took me ages to find out who your child with Catherine really was. I found out at the beautiful ceremony you had to celebrate her wedding to the prince." Richard stopped his confession to smile contently."Ah, the sweet taste of revenge. I've been waiting for months to finally do this and now, I finally can." He let go of Flora, much to their surprise and she tried to keep herself steady.

"Now, I want you to look at them for a moment and know that this, is entirely their fault." He told her and then he acted. The dagger was pulled into her stomach and she let out a surprised gasp before the pain filled her. She heard her parents desperately screaming, but her attention was too focused on staying alive. As found herself unable to support her legs anymore and fell to her knees while holding her stomach, she cast a glance at the man who had hurt her so much without her even knowing. There was a smile on his face, a sad one and she even thought that she saw regret there.

"You son of a bitch!" Her father screamed before he charged for Richard, sword ready in hands. Catherine was quick to come to Flora's aids and she gently carried the nature fairy away from the fight. Her eyes showed the same regret Flora had seen in Richard's and the nature fairy worried about her state in that moment. While being carried by her mother, she could hear her muttering words of disbelief and her arms seemed way too weak as they took Flora away from Richard.

"Is that the best you got?" Richard's loud comment made both women stare at him and his opposer and they weren't too happy to see that he had picked his sword and was violently swinging it in Henry's direction. The king responded with equally violent movements.

"God, this hurts." Flora couldn't stop herself from groaning and Catherine stared at her worriedly.

"My sweet daughter, I am so sorry." She said while crying silently and Flora's heart was filled with sadness and forgiveness. Despite whatever her mother might have done, she could see clearly as day that Catherine had never meant for it to come to this. And she knew what it was like, looking back on her own experience with the Winx, she understood her mother better than ever. They had done the same thing, ran away from their troubled pasts, though after tonight the nature fairy knew that Catherine's suffering were far worse.

"It's okay, mother, this isn't entirely your fault. I know that you never meant to hurt me." She replied, each word punctuated by a heavy breath as breathing became more challenging due to the blood loss. She was sure that if this was any other day, she would be concerned about ruining such a beautiful dress that had been in her family for generations.

"But I did, I hurt you maybe even more than anyone else and I am so sorry." Catherine's tearful confession was followed by the sound of swords clashing as the fight in the other side of the room continued. While watching her father fight to protect her, an idea came to Flora's mind. It was something she would have never done, but by now she knew that peace wouldn't be their way out of this situation. So, with great difficulty, she was able to pull out the dagger and she gave the bloody weapon to her surprised mother.

"You should use it. Kill him before he kills my father." She said with a heavy heart and Catherine, knowing the dangerous situation they were in, pushed away her surprise at her daughter's words. So she silently picked up the dagger and looked back at the two man fighting, both too concentrated to pay any attention to them. With an agile movement, she threw it and miraculously it hit Richard right in his neck.

"What the hell?" Henry screamed in surprise and he looked at Catherine and Flora in disbelief. Next thing they knew, the door to the office was opened once again, this time to reveal the Winx and Specialists.

"Oh My God!" Musa screamed after she and Riven entered the room after Helia. The blue haired specialist looked between Flora and her parents with shock while his friends filled the room.

"What the hell?" Riven added and there was silence for a few moments as everyone's eyes shifted from the injured Flora to the injured man by her father's side. Richard watched them with uninterest while he attempted to pull out the dagger from his neck. He succeeded, but the damage was already done. Within seconds after he pulled it off, life left him and his body fell limply to the floor.

"Who was that guy?" Stella asked, breaking the silence and Henry and Catherine shared a look, but said nothing.

"Flora!" Helia screamed next, ignoring her question as he was quick to ran to her side.

"Helia." She said in a quiet whisper as her face lit up at the sight of him. As he kneeled by her side, Flora gave her mother a look and Catherine nodded, seeming to understand what she wanted. After leaving a small kiss on her forehead, Catherine gently passed her to Helia, who held her in his lap just as gently. The blond woman stood up slowly and looked at the couple with wide, sorrowful eyes. They were too focused on each other to notice how much she was trembling or how she kept looking at the open window just behind her with a sad expression.

"Oh, Helia, I'm so sorry." The fairy of nature told him while looking at him sadly. He gave her a sad smile before shaking his head.

"You don't have to apologize, okay. You should focus on staying alive right now, we'll take you to a doctor soon." His voice shook while tears welled up in his eyes.

"My love, I don't think that'll work out." She said while caressing his face with her small hands, leaving a trail of blood on his cheek. He used his own hand that wasn't supporting her to hold hers as they stared at each other with so much love in their eyes.

"No, it won't." Catherine said, ruining the sweet moment and Stella and Musa glared at her. She ignored them, her eyes solely focused on her daughter. "You'll die because of me and I can't bare to go through that again." She added and this time there was confusion in the Winx's faces.

"Catherine, love, I know this is tough, but we'll overcome it. I'm sure that Flora wouldn't want us to spend the rest of our lives grieving." Henry said while looking at her, a look that mixed pain, sadness and love.

"You're trying to make me feel better, as usual. That is one of the reason why I love you." She declared softly and the Winx were surprised to realize that the look she gave him was the one they found themselves giving their partners. A look of adoration, of genuine affection, of pure love.

"Mother..." Flora began, but Catherine interrupted her. There was nothing that she could say that would be able to change her mind.

"I hope that you can forgive me someday." She said intensely and sadly, her eyes focusing on the two people she loved more than anything in the world. Before anyone figured out what she was doing, she had backed away until she reached the open window. Fresh air made her hair sway and she gave everyone a peaceful smile before letting herself fall.

"NO!" Henry's loud and heartbroken scream covered the one his daughter let out as he immediately ran towards the window. It was too late, though. As he stared into the night, he could see Catherine's figure lying on the floor far below. She wasn't moving, her brown eyes looking empty and her face was pure white. She was dead. Unable to hold himself any longer, the heartbroken king fell to his knees and covered his face with his hands as he sobbed uncontrollably. Flora wanted nothing more than to run to him, hug him tightly and comfort him. But she couldn't. She could feel herself slipping further away by the minutes and she knew that she needed to say goodbye.

"Girls." Her friends looked at her, still shaken by Catherine's suicide. "I'm so sorry that I got you into this mess." A pause was necessary so that she could attempt to regain her breath. "I hope you can forgive me." In that moment, all of the lies and secrets were far away from their minds.

"And we do, Flo." Bloom said,silent tears streaming down her face while Sky's arm was wrapped around her comfortingly.

"We'll never forget you." Musa added and then it was Aisha.

"Of course not, you're my best friend and I love you. I wish it didn't have to end this way." By then they were all crying, even some of the specialists.

"Oh, god, I can't breathe." Tecna said and they didn't pay much attention to her, assuming that she was just too sad. Timmy, however, knew better than to believe that.

"Tecna?" He asked silently and his eyes widened when he realized that she was even paler than before, if that was even possible. She started coughing violently and they assumed that this was caused by her cold. Some, like Musa and Stella, looked back worriedly.

"Tecna, are you alright?" Musa asked a few minutes later, once the fairy of technology had stopped coughing. There was no answer as Tecna fell unconscious right at that moment.

"No!" Timmy screamed worriedly and he kneeled down with her weak body in his arms. He checked her pulse and realized that it was too weak. "No, Tecna, you can't do this to me." He said desperately and the others were confused and afraid. From the other side of the room Flora watched her best friend fall unconscious and the stress made her feel even worse. She knew then that she didn't have much time, she needed to talk to Helia before it was too late.

"Helia." She caught his attention and his worried eyes turned to her. "My hero. You have taught me so much and I am so grateful that I met you." She began her confession and they mirrored sad smiles. "I love you, more than I ever thought it was possible, and I always will! I wish we could get married and build our lives together, but that's not gonna happen. I'm so sorry for lying to you and for leaving you. I will never forget you and I truly wish that you can find happiness in the future. We'll see each other again someday, I promise." It took all of her strength to say these words and she barely heard his tearful reply.

"I love you too, more than anything." He said brokenly and she was miraculously able to lift herself up so that they could share a last kiss. It was gentle and loving, wet due to their tears. It was perfect and way too short. Soon her body felt limp on his lap, her eyes closed and silence filled the room.

I KNOW. I KNOW. I'M SURE YOU HATE ME RIGHT NOW, BUT DON'T HATE ON THE STORY. IT'S NOT OVER YET.

I never thought I'd be killing my main character, but what can you do, I've read too much Shakespeare.

So, thoughts anyone? What did you think of the Catherine X Henry scenes? And the ones with Richard? Were you surprised that he made a comeback? Did anyone even remember him?

What about Flora X Helia? Weren't their scenes sad and beautiful and incredibly cheesy? And Catherine, were you able to feel empathy for her here? I bet you were thinking that she had killed Will. Is anyone sad about her suicide?


	24. Brokenhearted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of Flora's death and Catherine's suicide. Helia and Henry freak out after losing the people they loved, the Winx try to come up with a way to fix this irreversible situation and a new surprise arrives that could change anything.

Hey, people. Here we have the next chapter, though it's a bit late. The next one won't take so long. I know that the past few chapters have been pretty heartbreaking, but I promise you that the next ones will be happier.   
Flora X Helia fans, I think you'll like the flashbacks I included here.  
Happy reading! 

"What the hell just happened?" Musa asked after a few minutes of silence and everyone turned to look at her.

"I don't know." Bloom answered softly, eyes wide and face pale. The others didn't look any better, they all looked sick and pale, which was understandable after what they had just gone through.

"She's gone." Helia's heartbroken statement made everyone look at him and the sight of the nature fairy in his arms was too heartbreaking for them to bare.

"This can't be. First our parents, now Flora?" Stella asked as she came closer to the blue haired specialist, Brandon trailing behind her unsurely.

"Did you check her pulse?" Daphne asked Helia and he nodded.

"There's no pulse, no heartbeat. She's gone." He repeated just as brokenly and Stella kneeled down to check it again, only to find herself disappointed.

"And Tecna's going the same way, unless we get her help!" An overly dramatic and desperate Timmy screamed while he attempted to keep Tecna alive. Her breaths were coming in short by then and they knew that she didn't have much time."Come on, Tec, you need to be strong." He told his unconscious fiancée.

"What is even wrong with Tecna?"Musa asked worriedly and curiously.

"I thought she had just fainted after seeing Flora almost dying, but this looks more serious than that." Bloom commented and Timmy sighed deeply.

"She's sick." He said simply and before anyone could ask him more specific questions, there was a broken voice.

"You need to take her to the doctor, immediately!" King Henry spoke for the first time since Catherine had killed herself and if there was a competition about who looked worse, he would certainly win. The Winx and specialists felt for him, he had just lost his wife and last child, after all.

"Are you alright, your majesty?" Bloom asked him worriedly, seeing his pained look.

"Definitely not. I thought losing Will was hard, but this is worse." He said while clearly trying to keep the tears at bay. "Flora, she didn't deserve any of this, she was an innocent and I've done everything I could to protect her." He added quickly and Helia was able to pull off a small smile.

"As did I, your majesty. But none of could see this coming." The blue haired specialist said bitterly and he was confused when Henry shook his head.

"No, someone did see that this would happen. We just didn't think it would be true." There were confused expressions for Flora had never mentioned something like that.

"What do you mean?" Bloom asked him curiously.

"Was there someone who knew that Flora would...die?" Aisha added, her voice breaking at the last word as she tried to shake off the feeling of denial that threatened to take over her. It was hard losing your parents and your best friend in one day.

"A few years ago, Nostradamus had a terrible vision of Flora's death. He told us about it and we didn't believe him, well I didn't." Henry told them after taking a deep breath and Bloom, Aisha and Musa gasped. "He said that there was a man with long blue hair and he assumed that he would be the killer." This new information left them even more surprised and Helia felt his stomach churning as guilt filled him."That's why I didn't like you at first, Helia. I was so afraid that you might be responsible for her death. But you're not, if anything you've saved her and I am so sorry." Henry finished and Helia gave him an understanding look.

"I understand where you're coming from, I probably wouldn't be too comfortable if someone who was prophesied to kill her were to spend much time around her either. But the truth is that I love, well loved your daughter, she made me happy in ways I never thought were possible." The blue haired specialist confessed passionately and Bloom and Stella couldn't help but sigh at his sweet and romantic words.

"I can see that clearly now. It's so sad that it took her dying for me to realize that." Henry sighed before standing up and turning back to look outside the window. "I don't think that you'll need to take Miss. Tecna to the doctor." After receiving questioning looks, he continued. "I don't believe that you know this, but there is magic in this world as well. However, a long time ago, Catherine put a protective barrier around Paris so that no one would be able to use it. She thought I wasn't aware of that, but I did know about it and I agreed it was for the best, since it was the only way to protect Flora."

"Because they're afraid of magic here, right? They would probably kill someone if they ever saw them using it?" Bloom smartly said and Henry nodded.

"Exactly. Flora was born with magic since Catherine had it, but she grew up in a world where it didn't seem possible." He said before turning back to the window with a pained look. "Now that she's gone, I believe that magic should be released." At these words, a look of shock and recognition came to Bloom's face.

"And he's right, Winx. I can feel my magic again, it's so weird." The fairy of the dragon flame said and the others realized that they could feel it as well. After over 3 months of living without magic, it felt weird and unusual.

"So can I. It's definitely weird." Musa added and the Winx looked between each other with happy smiles.

"That means that we can heal Tecna." Stella said excitedly and everyone turned to the unconscious fairy in Timmy's arms.

"Consider it done." Bloom said before she quickly approached them. She put her hands in Tecna's face, feeling worried about how cold it was, before she started glowing bright blue and soon they could all feel the strength of her magic. It took only a few seconds for the spell to work, and the technology fairy opened her eyes and sat up quickly.

"Easy there, Tecna." Timmy said, sounding a lot better than before, as he forced her to lie back down. Her teal eyes looked around the room in confusion before turning back to look at him.

"Timmy? What happened?" She asked worriedly and he was quick to put her at ease.

"You fainted, probably the stress of seeing Flora." He explained to her while taking her smaller hand in his. He was glad to feel it was less cold than before, but it still wasn't a normal temperature.

"Flora! Where... How is she?" Tecna asked, eyes wide as she searched the room for her injured friend. Upon seeing the look on Helia and Stella's face, a look of disbelief came to her face. "No." She said lowly while shaking her head. Bloom sighed before confirming her worst fears.

"She's gone, Tecna. We so wish that it wasn't true, but it is." She said simply and Tecna's face shifted to immense sadness before she started crying uncontrollably, something unusual.

"Shh. It's okay. What matters most is that you're okay." Timmy comforted her, his arms wrapping around her in a tight hug, while relief crossed his face. From across the room, Brandon and Stella were in the same position, with the sun fairy crying desperately in his arms. Helia stood by their side looking more broken than ever, his fingers running through Flora's long brunette hair while he lowered his head so that they couldn't see the tears silently descending his face.

Musa stood by Riven's side, his arm wrapping around her comfortingly, but she found herself unable to cry. Aisha was the same way, having handled Lana back to Nabu long ago. He tried to comfort her, but the fairy of waves was too shocked to cry and she stood there frozen, staring at Flora in disbelief. Bloom and Daphne were the only ones who had been able to put off the shock and were trying to figure out a way to fix their situation, but there was nothing that could reverse death.

"I'm sorry." Tecna's soft and quiet voice was heard as she looked at Timmy after they pulled apart from their embrace.

"What are you apologizing for?" Timmy asked her curiously, looking confused.

"I'm sorry I scared you, I should have listened to you before and gone to the doctor." Timmy smiled at her a loving smile.

"It's okay, Tecna. What matters most to me is that you're alright now." He told her sincerely and she couldn't help but smile as well. "I thought that I was going to lose you." He confessed and his expression turned to pure sadness and despair.

"But you won't. I'm here now and we'll find a cure to whatever I have. I won't leave you, Timmy, I promise." She told him with as much sincerity and love. This seemed to be enough to calm him down for he smiled a bright smile that most of them had never seen before.

"I love you so much, Tecna." He surprised everyone by declaring and Tecna's own smile enlarged. She didn't wait for anything as she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately. Timmy was a bit surprised at first, but he easily responded with as much love and passion. The others watched with a mix of surprise for their unusual show of public affection and happiness that their friend was okay. There was someone who didn't share that feeling, though.

Seeing their declaration of love only served to remind Helia of what he had just lost. And it hurt, so much. So when Tecna and Timmy kissed, he looked away, not wanting to see their happiness and relief. He felt so empty, like there was a part of him missing. And there truly was. His eyes turned back to the beautiful brunette in his lap, the one person who understood him better than anyone, the one he had loved with every fiber of his being. Memories of their times spent together crossed his mind and more tears silently fell from her face.

He recalled the first time he saw her, when she was chatting with her friends during the Red Fountain Opening. His mind had been focused on his drawing of a dove when all of sudden he heard voices. Helia wasn't one to spy on people, but he decided to take a look, see who was there. He had been happy to find Brandon, Sky, Timmy and Riven, his new roommates while he was visiting Red Fountain. He was surprised at first after seeing the six fairies that were talking to the specialists. But then he remembered how his friends had mentioned the Winx many times during his visit.

"Stella is the blonde one and my girlfriend. She's the princess of Solaria and her powers come from the sun." Brandon had said and soon Helia spotted her.

"Bloom is the fairy of the dragon flame and Sky's girlfriend. You'll easily spot her due to her red head." Brandon had said jokingly and he was right, Helia was able to spot her easily by Stella's side.

"Musa is the one with long blue hair, she's the fairy of music and, although these two will deny it, there's something between her and Riven." Sky had said this one and he had gotten punched in the shoulder by the maroon haired specialist. Musa was standing next to the brunette fairy that caught his attention as soon as he saw her. He recalled them mentioning that Flora was the fairy of nature and that she and Layla were the only ones in the group that were single. But his friends hadn't told him about how beautiful she was or how she had the most amazing green eyes that seemed to shine with excitement. They didn't tell him about her sweet voice either and his heart jumped when he heard her mention him.

"That's Helia, he's Saladin's grandon." Timmy had said and the fairies looked shocked.

"Then he must be a talented specialist." Flora had said and Helia felt happy and light.

"Nah, he's a pacifist, doesn't even like to get his hands dirty." Brandon had said with contempt and Helia felt angered that his friend was making him sound worse than he actually was. Soon the brunette specialist had come to him and introduced him to the six fairies. Before he could get to the one Helia actually wanted to meet, princess Stella had taken his sketchbook and started talking so fast he was surprised anyone could understand her. He looked at her confusingly before she handed the book back after saying something about a portrait.

Soon another fairy started talking to him, this one named Tecna. "She's the fairy of technology and not the friendliest person, but Timmy here seems to have feelings for her." Brandon had said during their conversation days before and Timmy had blushed like crazy before he tried (unsuccessfully) to convince his friends that there was nothing going on between himself and Tecna. It was useless, though, everyone could see the way his eyes shone when he spoke of her.

"Your lines are full of life and one can really sense the energy. I also love how your brush strokes match the front leaf of the paper." His attention was back on the gorgeous nature fairy as she gently picked the notebook Tecna had previously held and examined his newest drawing.

"No one's ever noticed that before." Helia commented with a smile that she returned, though hers was a shy and nervous one. The two of them missed the looks that her friends shared as they were too concentrated on each other.

"And that's Flora." Brandon introduced her and Helia, always the gentlemen, had taken her hand in his for a gentle kiss. He missed the way she blushed and smiled dreamily while he did so. It was a new feeling, this attraction he felt for her, this desperate feeling that he had to know her. However, Helia welcome it for he had never felt this way about anyone before.

The next memory that came to his mind was of the day she had admitted her true feelings for him. It had been months since their first meeting and things had been going well between them. They had been flirting ever so often and he had gotten to know her better. With every new piece of information, his affections for her grew, but he was afraid that she wouldn't return his feelings, so he hadn't acted on it.

She was the kindest person he had ever known and he loved it. He loved the way her eyes shone with excitement when talking about something she loved, the way she frowned when she was unable to speak in front of him and started stuttering. In the beginning, that had happened very often and Helia hadn't understood why she had seemed so nervous around him. But soon it had passed and they were able to hold normal conversations that he treasured. He treasured everything about her because she had become his muse.

He could no longer paint anything that wasn't her, he was completely mesmerized by her. And Helia was no stranger to the meaning of his inability to stop thinking about her, he had been told many times by his parents that this happened when one found themselves in love. It had taken him months to realize it, but when he did, he knew. He had to tell her of his feelings before it was too late. But she had beat him to it.

One day, while they were in Pixie Village to help cure the sick pixies, she had finally confessed what she had been holding for months. Her decision, as he was later told, was made during a moment that he always considered an evolution in their relationship. She had been trying to heal the flower of life, unsuccessfully. He had seen her struggle, her insecurities and unsureness and he had known exactly what to say to help her.

"You have to listen to your heart, Flora, and believe in yourself just like I believe in you." He had said gently while putting his hands on her shoulders in a comforting manner and she had looked back at him with a small smile.

"You're right, I need to have faith in myself." She had muttered and soon she was transformed in her fairy form and she started glowing green. He had been amazed, as usual, when he felt such a powerful energy coming from her.

Later, when the pixies had been cured and it was time for himself, Brandon and Sky to return to Red Fountain, he had expected her to say something, but she hadn't. He had assumed that she must be too exhausted from using her magic, so he had left without even saying goodbye, something that he would forever regret. But things turned out for the best when she called him a few minutes later. He had landed his ship and come out, curious about why she had called him.

"I wanted to tell you, I mean I wanted to thank you for what you did." She had nervously told him and he had smiled at her gently.

"You're the one who deserves all the thanks, you were amazing, Flora." He had sincerely told her and she had blushed.

"I wanted to tell you this in person, but I.. I just wanted, I mean, if you were..." He had noticed her struggle to say it, so he had decided they'd better have this conversation later, when she wasn't feeling so nervous.

"Perhaps this isn't the right time." He had said before walking away. He had almost gotten to his ship when he heard her again.

"Helia, I love you!" She had boldly confessed and a smile came to his face, a relieved one. He had turned back then, knowing that she expected an answer.

"I love you too." He had replied before sending her a kiss. Her smile had enlarged and he had wished that he could have kissed her, but there was no time back then. So he left, his heart filled with happiness that she had returned his feelings.

He wanted to stop the memories from coming, it hurt him so much to think about her when she was no longer there. But he couldn't stop his mind, even if he wanted to. The next one that came was a less happy one, though still one of his favorite moments with her. It had been about 6 months after they had gotten together, when their relationship was going just smoothly.

She had just come back from another mission with the Winx as the group of fairies had been trying to find a way to defeat Valtor. He was by far the most dangerous and challenging villain that they had ever encountered, so Helia had been worried when he heard that the Winx would be going to Limphea for yet another mission. However, everything seemed to have occurred fine for the Winx were back the next day with big smiles on their faces.

"Hey, beautiful." He had greeted Flora once she and the Winx landed in Alfea about two days later. She had at first been surprised to see him there, but soon she had smiled before launching herself in his arms. He had hugged her just as tightly, though he had sensed that something wasn't entirely right. Later, during a small party in the Winx's dorm to celebrate their victory, Bloom and Aisha had approached him during a moment when he had been picking drinks for himself and Flora.

"Hey, Helia." The fairy of the dragon flame had said with a smile and he had looked at her curiously.

"Hey, girls. Is everything alright?" He had asked and Aisha had sighed deeply.

"Not entirely. You know about our mission to Limphea to retrieve some water for Miss. Faragonda." The fairy of waves had explained shortly and Helia had nodded. "Well, something happened to Flora and I think that this has her shaken ." She had finished off worriedly and he had began feeling concerned.

"What exactly happened?" He had asked them curiously and fearfully and Bloom had given him a sad look.

"I think that you should ask her about it, it's not our place." He had nodded once again and, after saying his thanks for them coming to him, he had walked towards her.

"Hey. I thought that you were getting us drinks?" She had asked once she had noticed that his hands were empty. He had given her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, I completely forgot. Will you come with me outside?" He had asked her and she had looked at him curiously.

"Sure." She had replied and both of them had gone to the balcony, where there was no one. Well, except for Stella and Brandon, who were in the middle of a passionate make out session, but those two had excused themselves quickly and headed back inside. Once they were alone, Helia sighed.

"Flora, I think that there's something that we need to talk about." He had seen fear cross her face and had regretted his choice of words.

"Is everything alright?" She had asked concernedly and a bit nervously.

"I'm not so sure. Your friends have expressed their concerns towards you after this mission. Are you okay?" He had asked her gently and she had sighed.

"What exactly did they tell you?" She had asked him and he had said the truth.

"Not much. They said it wasn't really their place." She had nodded her head and taken a deep breath.

"Well, you see, during this mission something happened. Something bad." His worries grew once he noticed the way her voice was shaking and how she covered her arms as if she was cold, though it was a warm summer night.

"What happened? Please, tell me, I've been worried sick all day thinking that you might have gotten hurt." He had pleaded desperately.

"I sacrificed myself to save my sister after the Trix attacked us, but that came with a price."She had taken a pause and his heart had heart as he began to understand where she was going. " I almost died, Helia. After I saved Miele, I was drowning in the lake and all I could think about was you. I was so worried about you and how you would react once you found out." By then she was crying desperately and he stared at her in shock. "I felt so bad for you, I didn't want you to go through the pain of losing someone you loved. That's actually what kept me fighting before I gained my enchantix powers and I was able to breath. You saved me today, Helia, and I am so grateful to you."

"You almost died?" He had repeated the words that had been ringing in his head, having barely heard the rest of the sentence.

"But I'm okay now, thanks to you. I just wanted you to know just how much I love you." She had replied gently and he hadn't been able to hold himself, he had kissed her more urgently and desperately than ever. It's not as if they didn't have their kisses, but usually he was more gentle. She understood his desperation and she replied to the kiss with just as much.

"I love you too." He had said a few minutes, when their need for air surpassed that of being as close as possible and so they had pulled apart. "Promise me that you'll never leave me." He had then pleaded her and she had laughed at first at his impossible request, but she had understood where it was coming from.

"I promise."She had said with a smile before she had taken his hand. "Now come on, we'd better get back inside. You still owe me that drink." She had jokingly added before both of them had walked back inside the Winx's living room, both smiling so that their friends wouldn't worry so much.

The smile he wore that night wasn't a full one though, there was pain behind it. The pain he had felt at the idea of losing her, of living in a world where she no longer existed. He had known back then that he could never let that scenario happen, so he promised himself that he would do whatever it took to keep her safe, protect her with his own life. And that's what he did, for the next 3 years.

The last memory was of two years later, back when the Winx had been fighting against Tritannus and the Trix. It had been a hard fight and he had worried a lot about Flora, but she had been okay, thankfully. Unfortunately, the same thing couldn't be said about their relationship.

Since the arrival of princess Krystal of Limpha, an old friend of his whom he hadn't seen in over 10 years, it seemed as if they were getting more distant with each passing day. He had tried talking to Flora about it, but they barely had time together. She was always on missions or hanging out with her friends. Sometimes, some part of him wondered if she had been avoiding him.

He had sensed Krystal's growing affection for him as time went by and he did his best to politely decline her attemps at turning their friendship into something more. The young girl didn't seem to understand, though, and she ended up causing major conflict between himself and Flora.

After nearly a year of her avoiding him and him unable to keep Krystal at bay, he had realized that this had gone on for far too long.

It wasn't actually his idea to go talk to her that day, Krystal had been the one to suggest it during their usual lunch meeeting.

The princess of Limphea had first apologized for being the reason why him and Flora weren't talking, claiming that she hadn't realized that she was causing so much trouble.

She had come clean about her feelings for him and admitted that, while she had felt attracted to him and maybe even loved him, that wasn't true anymore. She had told him about how she had seen him and Flora dancing during Aisha and Nabu's wedding and she had understood that they were actually a couple and Helia had made a mistake in calling her a friend.

Helia had been glad that she had finally understood the situation and also to hear about her newfound feelngs for Daniel, a Red Fountain specialist who was in his first year as well.

"There's something else that you need to know." She had said in the end of their conversation, her face more serious than ever and he had been intrigued. "You really need to talk to Flora." He had been surprised by her tone and confused by her words.

" I know that." She had shaken her head, confusing him further.

" No, you don't. Helia, I talked to her today, at breakfast. I came clean to her about everything. And when I said that, though we are friends, she's the one you love, she said that she wishes that she could believe that." He had gasped, feeling heartbroken.

She doesn't believe that I love her?" He had muttered and Krystal had nodded her head.

" Go talk to her, now." She had said firmly and he had bolted towards the ballet room, where he knew she would be because of Brandon's heads up.

He had been mesmerized when he first saw her there, dressed in a beautiful outfit and dancing so gracefully. Her sadness was clear on her face as she failed to make a jump.

"Helia." He had heard her mutter heart brokenly and he had known that he needed to fix things and soon. So he had conjured many birds that flew around her, happiness feeling him at the smile on her face once she had seen them.

She had danced with them for a while before her gaze had turned to him as he had approached her with a bright smile. He had tried to convey his love for her in that smile and it seemed to have worked, because she had hugged him tightly.

"Flora, you are the only one in my heart. You are the one I love." He had declared gently and firmly and she had looked at him dreamily, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Oh, Helia." He had known then that she was speechless, so he had invited her to dance with him and for a few blissfull moments, everything had been perfect.

"We have to fix this." Helia's train of thought was interrupted by Bloom's fierce statement. The fairy of the dragon flame had pulled herself off Sky's embrace and walked towards the middle of the room so that they could all see her.

"But how? Everyone we know is dead."Stella complained and Musa nodded.

"Yeah, there's no way to reverse death, so there's nothing we could do. " The fairy of music had stated simply.

"Actually, there is something that we could do." Roxy spoke, surprising everyone, since they had forgotten that she was there. The fairy of animals showed even stronger determination than Bloom as she stared at the group of friends.

"What is it, Roxy?" Bloom asked her curiously and she smiled.

"Do you see this necklace?" Roxy pointed to the small piece of jewelry that was hanging in her neck, one they had never seen her wear before. It was light blue with a small jewel in the middle that resembled a door.

"I've never seen you wear it before." Stella commented and Bloom spoke next.

"Wait a second, I think that I've seen this before." The fairy of the dragon flame looked at the necklace thoughtfully before her face broke into a smile. "It was Miss. Faragonda's, wasn't it?" She asked Roxy excitedly and the others look at her confusingly while Roxy nodded.

"You're right, Bloom, it did belong to her." An impatient Riven interrupted her before she could continue.

"What could this necklace possibly have to do with fixing this mess?" He asked her and Roxy was quick to explain.

"This is a magic necklace and it contains the room of time. It used to be in Alfea, but after Valtor was able to enter it many years ago, Miss. Faragonda decided it would be safer with herself. So she used her magic to create this necklace." They looked at her more confused than ever.

"I don't get it." Stella said simply and Roxy smiled.

"In the room of time there are magical objects called the stones of memories. According to what she told me, they can be used to go back in time." She explained and most of the specialists had their jaws on the floor.

"That is absolutely illogical." Tecna said from her spot in Timmy's arms, the technological couple was staring at Roxy in disbelief.

"Even if it was possible, why didn't you do it before? Why wait so long?" Aisha asked the fairy of animals suspiciously.

"Miss. Faragonda gave it to me before she died. She said that the stones can only be activated by extremely powerful magic, so that's why I came searching for you." Roxy explained and understanding came to their faces.

"So that means that we can save Flora?"Helia asked, scaring everyone by suddenly speaking. Roxy nodded excitedly.

"And our parents, we can reverse everything that the Trix did." Stella added and the others started getting hopeful and excited as well.

"Then let's do it now! We have our powers back, so we've got no time to waste!" Bloom commanded and the others joined her in the middle of the room. They were about to use their magic when the door to the king's office was pushed open once again.

"You're here, thank goodness." An excited Kenna said as she entered the room, followed by Bash.

"Oh My God." Bash said shockingly once both noticed Flora's body in Helia's arms.

"What the hell happened here?" Kenna said as her eyes crossed between Flora and Helia, King Henry and the Winx.

"It's a long story. Who's this?" Bloom said quickly before pointing to the little girl in Kenna's arms. It was then that everyone noticed her, since she had previously been buried in Kenna's hair. Now, her big green eyes were staring at the different people in the room with curiosity. Her light red hair was put in a braid and she wore a small green dress.

"Ah, now that's a long story too."The brunette replied as she looked uncomfortable since they were all staring at her.

"I want my big sister."The little girl complained as she looked back at Kenna, who smiled sadly.

"I know you do, little Claude. But we're gonna talk to your daddy first." At these words, King Henry suddenly stood up, looking worse than after Catherine had killed herself.

"Who... Who is she?" He asked the newly arrived couple with a shaking voice.

"Well, I believe that she is your daughter, princess Claude." Kenna replied unsurely and everyone's eyes widened.

"How could this be possible? Didn't Flora mention that she died 3 years ago?" Bloom asked, her eyes wide. Kenna took a deep breath.

"Yeah, about that, it was never true. But it's a long story." The winx shared a look, knowing that they needed to go back in time to save their families.

"Well, we have time." Daphne said firmly while giving them a look that told them that they could wait. This was more important. So everyone waited for Kenna to explain how the little girl had suddenly come back from the dead.

Yeah, I know, it's too crazy. But well, how else could I fix this mess? But will it truly work? And what will be the consequences of going back in time?

So, what are your thoughts? Did you like the Tecna X Timmy scenes? What about the Flora X Helia flashbacks? And what did you think of the Claude still being alive plot? It will be better explained in the next one.

Is anyone over there a fan of Tecna X Timmy? Those two will have a lot of scenes in the upcoming chapters.


	25. Going Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After receiving explanations to Flora's younger sister apparently fake death, the Winx get ready to say their goobyes to their friends in the "real world". Going back to the Magic Dimension isn't so hard, but will they truly be able to undo all of the destruction that the Trix caused?

Hello, people. We're reaching the end of the line here, less than 10 chapters to go. In order to speed up that process, I decided to post chapters 24 and 25 at once. 

This is the last one in the "Real World". :( The next few one will be set back in the Magic Dimension, so it's time to say goodbye to the new characters I introduced since chapter 10 because they won't appear much after this. We still have the last plot regarding Henry/Catherine here, but that's about it.

So, the next few chapters will be the aftermath of everything that happened in the "Real World" and they will follow some of the Winx's Season 6 episodes. There will be a lot of Tecna X Timmy and Flora X Helia scenes and the other couples will have their moments as well. I hope that you'll enjoy them!

Before the chapter, let me make it clear that I don't know much about time travel, so you should take that into consideration while reading. There are many things here that might not be right, but since I don't have much experience with it, I suppose it's okay if I make some things up.

Okay, happy reading!

"Well, we have time." Daphne said firmly while giving them a look that told them that they could wait. This was more important. So everyone waited for Kenna to explain how the little girl had suddenly come back from the dead.

Many minutes earlier...

"So, how exactly do you know Flora? " Kenna suspiciously asked to the maid after her and Bash had sat on the comfortable couch.

"Well, it's not as if I know exactly who she is." The maid looked nervous and afraid and she avoided looking at them. Kenna and Bash shared looks, recognizing this kind of behavior since Flora had acted the same way when she was telling them the truth about her disappearance.

"Then you've heard of her?" Bash attempted to make things easier for her and she nodded.

"I really need to talk to her, this is important." The maid said firmly and Kenna, knowing Flora desired to be left alone and didn't need a stranger chasing her, decided to lie.

"Well, she's very busy these days, so you should talk to me. I'm her best friend and advisor." The maid looked rather confused and surprised, but before she could say anything, there was a crash that made Kenna jump.

"What the hell was that?" The brunette asked, her eyes wide and filled with fear. Always prepared, Bash had stood up and taken out his sword while he looked around the room.

"Oh, I'm sorry."The maid apologized, confusing them, before she walked towards the counter where the noise had come from. After she opened one of the cabinets, they saw a small child come out, looking embarrassed. Her red hair was braided and her green eyes looked at the maid apologizing.

"I'm sorry, Miss. Cornelia." The young girl apologized, her voice was sweet and cute.

"Who's that now?" Kenna asked once she had calmed herself down after the sudden appearance of the mysterious little girl.

"She's the reason I came here once again to talk to Miss. Flora." The maid answered and the young couple was even more confused. The little girl looked at them curiously after she was picked up and the maid walked back to the couch with her.

"Is that Flora?" She asked the maid, Cornelia, in the same sweet tone of before.

"How does she know Flora now?" Bash asked confusingly and the maid sighed deeply.

"Her name is Claude and, unless I'm terribly mistaken, she is Miss. Flora's younger sister." These words seemed impossible as Kenna and Bash recalled how Flora's younger sister had died years before.

"But that's not possible, she died years ago." Kenna said disbelievingly and Cornelia sighed once again.

"Actually, she didn't. She was kidnapped by a terrible man, a monster." They were curious now and they didn't even have to ask for her to elaborate. "His name is Richard Delacroix and, for reasons I'm not sure of, he wanted to kill little Claude years ago. I knew of his plan and I convinced him not to do so, but I had no idea that he would kidnap her instead." The maid lowered her head in shame.

"But how do you know about Flora? What does she have to do with this?" Cornelia looked at them with guilt and sadness as she ran her fingers through the little girl's soft hair. Claude was too busy playing with the pink bracelet on her arm to pay much attention to the conversation.

"Do you see her bracelet?" Cornelia asked and they nodded. "It was a gift from her older sister, Flora. At least that's what it says." They were shocked by now and the possibility of this actually being Flora's younger sister started to sink in.

"So Flora gave this to her? This can't be a coincidence, there aren't many girls named Flora around here." Kenna said in amazement and surprise.

"Could you tell us more about her, so we can be sure? Where was she kidnapped? Where did she live?" Bash questioned the maid repeatedly.

"She was kidnapped right here, her crib used to be there, I think." Cornelia pointed towards the empty space near the huge canvas where Leonardo did his paintings and Kenna recalled Flora saying that that's where her little sister used to sleep during Henry and Isabella's trip to England. "

"You wouldn't know that unless you were here." Bash accused suspiciously and the maid sighed.

"I was here the night she was kidnapped. After I figured his plan, Richard trapped me in the house and threatened to kill me if I ever told anyone. But I couldn't let him kill an innocent child, especially not after I had just lost my own. So I came here after gathering some information from other maids about where Claude's parents lived."Cornelia took a pause and they looked at her expectantly and excitedly, shocked that all the details were fitting right in." I looked through the window and I saw that he had her in his arms and there was a man, her father I assumed, knocked on the ground. I wanted to go in, but I had no idea how to stop him, so I stood there frozen."

"But he didn't kill her. Why?" Bash asked curiously and confusingly. Neither him nor Kenna knew who this man was, but from what they were gathering, he didn't seem like a good person.

"I'm not so sure. After he came outside, covered in blood and holding the little girl in his arms, I was terrified and confused. I thought that he was going to kill me right there and then, but he didn't. Instead he told me how he hadn't killed Claude and instead had changed her for an already dead child that he had found on the village. He said something about revenge and then he forced me to take her with us back to his property. I didn't want to, but he had a knife and he threatened to kill us both if I didn't comply." By then Cornelia was hysterically crying and, despite what she had done, the young couple was starting to feel sorry for her. After all, it was clear that she had done nothing on her own, she had been forced.

"It's okay, Cornelia. We don't blame you." Kenna said comfortingly and she put a hand on the older woman's shoulder.

"Indeed, the villain in this story's clearly this unknown man." Bash added with a reassuring smile.

"He's a monster, but he's also not normal like us. He has serious mental issues." Cornelia attempted to defend her boss, to no avail.

"So he kidnapped Claude and put a dead baby on her crib. That actually makes sense." Kenna commented and Bash nodded in agreement.

"And then he forced me to raise her under his strict supervision, so that's what I've done for the past 3 years. There were many times when I tried to escape with Claude, take her back home, but it was no use. Every Time he would find me before I even left the house. When we came back to Paris for a secret mission, as he told me, I decided to take the opportunity to come back here. It was a miracle that I remembered which house it was, but I did. I was expecting to meet her parents here or her sister." Cornelia looked back at them with hope.

"Could you take her to her sister? She deserves to be with her family now." Kenna and Bash shared a look.

"What about you? Won't he hurt you if he finds out that Claude is gone?" The brunette asked the maid, who looked at them with a sad smile.

"Don't worry about me, I will be okay. What matters most is that she's safe and happy." Cornelia said before kissing the top of Claude's head. Upon seeing this act of kindness, the young couple made up their minds.

"Okay, then. You're coming with us now and we'll tell the King everything that you told us." The maid looked surprised and afraid, but Kenna kept talking before she could object. "We will protect you from this man, Cornelia. We can clearly see that you're the victim here and King Henry will too. He is a good person." Cornelia smiled upon seeing the reassurance in Kenna's face and she handed Claude to the brunette.

"Can you take her? I'm sort of tired after carrying her all day." At first, she was surprised, but Kenna easily overcame the shock and she took the little girl in her arms. Claude quickly put her head on the brunette's shoulder and she yawned, clearly tired. The three adults stood up before walking out of the chateau and towards the palace, having no idea what awaited them there.

Back to present...

"So, she's truly alive?" Henry asked after Kenna and Bash were done telling their tale.

"It's crazy, isn't it?" The brunette laughed and the little girl looked at her curiously.

"Where is Cornelia now? Didn't she come here with you?" Bloom asked and everyone suddenly noticed that the maid was nowhere in sight.

"We don't know, we sorta lost her." Kenna said after sighing.

"She probably went into hiding, afraid of Richard seeing her." Bash added angrily and Henry smiled, much to their surprise.

"Well, she doesn't need to worry about him, he's gone."The king pointed towards the dead body on the floor near him and Kenna and Bash widened their eyes.

"Is that him?" She asked and upon seeing Henry's nod, she was confused. "What is he doing here?" Henry sighed deeply before answering.

"He came here to kill Flora, apparently killing my son and kidnapping my daughter wasn't enough revenge." He said bitterly and angrily.

"Wait, so this guy was the one who killed Will?" Stella asked curiously and Henry nodded.

"Catherine and I had some history with him, but I had no idea that he would take it that far." Everyone noticed the way his voice shook when saying the name of the woman she loved.

"He killed Flora." Helia spoke, voice hoarse and they looked at him sadly.

"And he will be punished for it, he will rot in hell." Henry spoke firmly and they decided arguing wasn't a good idea.

"Now that this is cleared up, I think that we should go." Daphne said and Kenna and Bash looked at the group in confusion.

"Go where?" The brunette asked and Bloom answered.

"Home. We got our magic back, so we need to go and fix things there." Kenna looked surprised and sad.

"I'm gonna miss you guys." She said tearfully and the little girl in her arms started crying just then. "Oh, no, little Claude, please don't cry." She begged the child, to no avail.

"I guess this is goodbye then." Bash said with sad smile.

"We're gonna miss you too and this place. Perhaps we'll come back one day, to visit." Bloom told them and Henry smiled at them.

"I sure hope you do, this place is gonna be lonely without Catherine and Flora." He said sorrowfully and it was his turn to receive pitiful looks from the six fairies.

"Then come with us. I'm sure that you'd be much happier in the Magic Dimension." Bloom told him gently and he shook his head, a sad smile on his face.

"I can't. France still needs me and now I'm all that they've got." They said nothing, understanding his choice. "Could you do me a favor?" He asked them.

"Of course." Helia was the one who replied, having let go of Flora so that he could walk towards the king. The blue haired specialist had seen Henry's suffering, had understood it and so he had decided that he should try to comfort the man. He knew that's what Flora would have wanted him to do.

"Take Claude with you." They looked at him in shock, failing to understand his request. "I know that you're thinking that I should be with her, that maybe it would help me recover, but being a parent means that you think about your children's well being first. I know I haven't been the best father, neither towards Will or Flora, but I won't make the same mistakes with her. She deserves to grow up in a world where she won't be forced to marry someone, where she can be happy without pressure. And if that means letting her go, then that's what I'm gonna do." The room was silent after his passionate speech.

"I think that you're doing the right thing." Helia told him gently. "And I know you haven't asked me, but I promise you that I will keep Flora safe and happy." Henry smiled at him.

"I know you will. Good luck to you all." He said and he and Helia did an awkward handshake. Soon everyone started saying their goodbyes, Kenna and Bash hugged everyone after they put Claude on the ground. When it came to Kenna and Musa's turn to hug, the brunette suddenly remembered the book she held in her hands.

"Musa, you should take this with you." She handed it to Musa, who looked at it curiously.

"What is this?" The fairy of music asked.

"It's Catherine's, I think it contains many spells, so it should be useful to you. And there's a picture of her family. You should give that to Flora." Musa nodded and they hugged once again.

"Thank you."She whispered in the brunette's ear before she went back to where her friends were standing, waiting for her. Each couple had their arms wrapped around each other, with the exception of Timmy and Tecna, since she was in his arms. Helia held Claude in his arms and the little girl played with his hear happily.

"Send our best wishes to the others, okay?" Bloom asked the young couple that stood near Henry and Kenna nodded.

"Of course. Good luck!" She wished and the group cast one last smile at them before the Winx used their magic to teleport themselves back to the Magic Dimension. As Roxy had explained, they needed to be there so that they could go back in time.

At Alfea...

Once the spell was over, the Winx found themselves at a deserted clearing where they could see a few ruins not so far. They looked around curiously and confusingly as they wondered if they had performed the spell correctly. "Where are we?" Stella asked and Roxy sighed before she answered.

"This is what's left of Alfea." She said sadly and they widened their eyes upon seeing the destruction that was made in their school.

"This is terrible." Aisha said in horror and she used her hands to cover Lana's eyes.

"We really have to fix this." Bloom added determinately and Roxy nodded before she took out her necklace.

"I think that you should step back." She warned and they took a few steps back once she touched the necklace. A bright, colorful light erupted from it, blinding them for a second before the portal appeared. It was a huge, swirling rainbow and the Winx were nervous.

"Now we jump, right?" Musa asked and Roxy nodded. She was the first to go, then Bloom and Sky, then Daphne and Thoren, then Musa and Riven, Stella and Brandon, Timmy with Tecna in his arms and, at last, Helia with Claude. Soon they found themselves in a room that resembled space as there were many stars around them. In the middle of it, there were 7 stones in different colors that seemed to shine brighter than the sun.

"This room is beautiful!" Stella said in amazement while she looked around and the others nodded.

"I had never actually entered it, but I agree." Roxy commented before she walked towards the nearest stone. "I think that all we have to do now is take the stones and then think about the moment we should go back to. Magic will perform the rest." She told them and they nodded. Each Winx girl took a stone while their partners held onto them, with the exception of Helia, who took Flora's stone while holding Claude in his arms.

"What moment should we go back to?" Aisha asked and Bloom and Stella had thoughtful looks on their faces.

"The moment right before we left, in the Greenhouse." Tecna answered deeply and Timmy nodded while casting her another worried glance.

"That's the most logical solution." He said simply and the others agreed. So they held onto the stones and waited for it to work. It did and soon they felt like they were spinning around and only a few seconds later, they found themselves in the Alfea Greenhouse, in the same positions they were in. Musa opened her eyes to find herself wrapped in Riven's arms, Stella and Tecna were standing up with their fiancées close to them, Daphne and Thoren stood side by side and Bloom sat down near Helia, who was happy to spot Flora in his arms, while Sky knelt down by the fairy of the dragon flame's side. They were surprised at first to spot Selina, who stood in the middle of the room with a smirk on her face.

"Yes, I did." She said, confusing them.

"Did what?" Bloom asked her curiously and Selina looked at her like she was crazy.

"I tricked you, made you believe that we were still friends when we haven't for years." She said while raising her eyebrows and recognition flashed Bloom's face.

"That's right, I remember this. Guys, she's going to show up any second now." She said urgently and Daphne smiled from the other side of the room.

"Leave this to me, Bloom." She told her sister reassuringly and Bloom nodded.

"Now that's enough chatting." As they had expected, Catherine showed up. It was strange seeing her less than an hour after her suicide, but they knew better than to give into the shock.

"I couldn't agree more." Daphne said before she sent a spell towards Catherine. Within seconds, the blonde woman fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Wow." Thoren said in amazement and she blushed.

"This was kinda scary." Brandon said while he stared at her in shock, as well as the other specialists. Except for one, who had his eyes set on another beautiful woman. A relieved look came to his face once he watched as she opened her gorgeous green eyes and looked at him.

"Helia." Her soft voice was heard and everyone turned back to look at her, disbelief on their faces.

"Flora?" Helia questioned, looking suddenly pale, and he slowly touched her cheek.

"Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost?" She asked him worriedly while her right hand came to rest on his shoulder. With careful movements, she sat up.

"I'm... You're..." He attempted to speak and she looked more worried by the seconds. "I thought I had lost you." He said sincerely and her face broke into a reassuring smile.

"Hey, I promised that I would never leave you, remember? I'm still here and I'm fine." She reassured him while her not so warm hands cupped his face. "Well, except for the fact that my head's hurting a bit. I better go to the infirmary later, check it out." She added before her eyes met those of her friends, who looked just as shocked as Helia.

"Flora, you're alive!" Tecna said in disbelief and Flora raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah. I knew you guys would find the antidote and save me." She said excitedly and they shared worried looks.

"The antidote?" Bloom asked, confused, and Flora looked at her in concern.

"Why are you acting weird?" The nature fairy questioned and Aisha suddenly gasped.

"Guys, I don't think that she remembers anything." The fairy of waves said worriedly and Tecna face palmed.

"Of course. The spell would only work on those who were alive, so it didn't work for her." She told them logically and Flora looked more confused than ever.

"What spell? What are you talking about?" She asked while she attempted to stand up, catching Helia by surprise. The blue haired specialist quickly recovered from the shock and stood up as well so that he could help her.

"Should we tell her?" Stella asked as she shared a look with the Winx.

"What we should do is get her memories back." Tecna said firmly and they nodded, understanding that this was necessary. So the Winx and Daphne combined their powers and used their convergence on both Flora and Catherine, knowing that the latter needed to remember everything too. Once the spell was done, there were a few minutes of silence as they awaited for the memories to return. When Flora's eyes opened again, a look of shock was on her face.

"Oh My God." She screamed before she pulled away from Helia."I can't believe this! I was dead, and now I'm not. How?" She hysterically said before she looked at them madly.

"It's hard to explain, really." Stella said sheepishly and Flora raised her eyebrows.

"Girls! Oh, thank goodness." A new voice was heard and everyone was surprised to spot an worried Miss. Faragonda as she entered the Greenhouse.

"Miss. Faragonda?" Bloom asked in disbelief, momentarily forgetting that they had went back in time.

"Bloom, dear, you look pale. Is everything alright here?"The headmistress asked concernedly.

"Yes, everything's great. We were able to heal Flora." Tecna came to their rescue as her mind worked faster and she recalled the reason why they had gone to the Greenhouse all those months ago. Miss. Faragonda sighed before she gave them a relieved smile.

"That's good. And what about Selina?" At the mention of her name, they realized that she was no longer in the room.

"She went back to Cloud Tower." Bloom guessed as she shared worried looks with the others.

"Miss. Faragonda, we really need to talk to you about something." Tecna spoke once again, her voice sounding weak and tired and the headmistress was worried.

"Are you alright, Tecna?" She questioned and the fairy of technology shook her head.

"I'm definitely not okay, but there are important things that need to be discussed right now." Miss. Faragonda was surprised by how urgent she sounded and decided that she'd better hear what they had to say, since it must be related to the Trix.

"Okay, then follow me to my office." She said before she turned around. After sharing more disbelieved looks, the Winx followed her. They were almost out of the Greenhouse when there was a small cry.

"What was that?" The headmistress curiously asked and they looked panicked.

"You were leaving without me." Little Claude complained as she came out from behind some bushes, where she had apparently been hiding.

"Of course not, Claude." Helia said gently and he took a few steps forward. "Now, come on. We need to follow the nice lady." He added and Claude looked at him with raised eyebrows, her little arms crossed over her chest, before her face broke into a smile and she ran towards him. He kneeled down just as she threw herself in his arms. Flora watched the scene curiously.

"Who is she again?" She asked Stella, who was closer to her and the fairy of the sun sighed.

"That's a long story. We'll tel you later." She said and Flora nodded. Now that they had stopped, Musa spotted Catherine, who they had forgotten about as well.

"Hey, guys, what about Catherine?" She asked her friends and their eyes went wide.

"I had completely forgotten about her." Aisha said, looking panicked.

"Who is that woman?" Miss. Faragonda asked curiously and the fairy of the dragon flame answered.

"We'll explain everything to you soon, Miss. Faragonda. Is there a place in this school that unables someone from using magic?" Bloom asked and Miss. Faragonda looked surprised.

"Well, we do have a sort of prison, but why would you want to enable her from using magic?" The headmistress surprisingly asked.

"We have our reasons." Stella said and the headmistress decided it'd be better not to argue. So she used her magic to send Catherine to said prison and they went back to walking to her office.

About an hour later...

The Winx had just finished filling Miss. Faragonda in on everything that had happened in the past few months. The headmistress had been shocked to learn about Flora's lies, but being the kindhearted person that she was, forgave the nature fairy easily. After all, she understood what it was like, running from the past and trying to start anew.

She had been even more surprised to learn about the three months that she had no memories of, but she had believed them, unlike Miss. Griselda, who had looked at them suspiciously. Only after Roxy showed them the necklace containing the room of time did Griselda realized that they were telling the truth.

After telling them the truth, it was time to fill Flora in on the events after her death. Everyone was still having a hard time dealing with the fact that she had died, so they avoided mentioning it, treating the subject as if she had simply been unconscious. Tecna and Timmy told them about how the technology fairy suspected that she was ill and how they worried about what it could be. Other couples, like Bloom and Sky and Stella and Brandon, who had big news to tell them, decided against it. They wanted to wait for a more happy and special occasion to share their news.

The nature fairy was extremely surprised and glad to learn that her sister still lived and she had confirmed it after seeing the small bracelet that the little girl carried. She and Claude had quickly bonded and the little girl had excitedly sat on her lap as they talked about many details of their lives. The one thing the redhead talked more was Helia, whom she had gotten really close to.

Speaking of said specialist, he was doing better now that Flora was alive and okay, but the memory of her death still haunted him. Guilt and pain wouldn't leave him for a while, as he was sure, and he kept glancing at her to make sure that she remained alright. Due to them being in a room filled with people and to the explanations needed, they hadn't been able to talk about themselves.

"Miss. Faragonda, I have urgent news." Professor Palladium came in just as Flora was about to ask Helia to take a walk with her, so that they could talk.

"Is everything alright, professor?" The headmistress asked him worriedly, seeing how panicked he looked.

"Well, I'm not sure if this is good news, but your prisoner, Miss. Catherine, has just awoken." The Winx shared worried looks once they heard the name and Flora sighed.

"Did she say anything?" Bloom asked him curiously, knowing that depending on the answer, they could be sure that Catherine had regained her memories.

"She demanded to see the Winx." Palladium replied, looking confused.

"Well, I guess that's my cue." Flora said and she stood up with sleeping Claude in her arms. Aisha and Stella looked at her in concern.

"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" The latter asked the fairy of nature unsurely.

"Yeah, we know that she's your mother, but she's dangerous." The fairy of waves added cautiously. Flora gave them a sad smile that had become frequent over the past few months.

"I need to talk to her, we haven't finished our conversation from before you came into my father's office." She told them and, though she looked like she wanted to argue, Aisha said nothing. "Can you take her to my room so that she can rest?" Flora then turned back to Helia, who looked at her confusingly before he realized that she was pointing towards the sleeping child in her arms.

"Sure. Perhaps we could take a walk later?" He asked her and her smile enlarged.

"I would love to." She replied before handing him Claude. Within a few minutes, she was gone and silence filled the room.

"So, what now?" Stella asked, breaking it.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to go home. After everything that Roxy told us, I want to see for myself that everything is truly alright." Bloom commented and some of them nodded.

"Then let's all go home. We'll meet tomorrow, at Krystal's ball." Tecna said and they looked at her confusingly. "Have you forgotten? Well, of course you have. I recall how she invited us to her ball right before we went on our trip to Earth. It will be tomorrow night, if I'm not mistaken." The fairy of technology added and their expressions didn't change.

"I'll send her a message to make sure." Helia said lowly and the others thanked him before everyone left the room to go home.

So, what are your thoughts? Did you like the Claude plot? What about the scenes with Henry? What about them going back in time? What do you think happened during the conversation between Catherine and Flora?

VERY IMPORTANT:

Since no one seems to be reading The Price Of Love, here are some info about it that I'm sure will make you more interested: 

It will include:

a-FloraXHelia romance previous to S1

b-FloraXHelia working for evil

c-Gods and Goddesses: like Hades, Zeus, etc

d-Flora as the princess of Limphea

e-Parts of Hercules Plot (MegXHercules)

f-All the canon couples before S4

g-A lot of StellaXBrandon, BloomXSky and FloraXHelia


	26. New Begginings Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Stella and Brandon go to Solaria and try to find out if their lives are going to change, Tecna and Timmy receive unexpected news that could change everything. On the other hand, Flora and Helia's relationship seems like it will never be anything other than this hard, heartbreaking and sad mess.

Happy reading everyone!

With Stella and Brandon

The two of them walked nervously around Solaria while holding hands. They were sort of anxious about meeting her parents, considering the news they had to tell them. Since they weren't entirely sure and wouldn't want to give King Radius and Luna a heart attack for nothing, Stella had come up with a plan.

"It's easy, you'll keep my parents busy while I make sure. After that we'll tell them if we are indeed pregnant." She had told Brandon before they left Alfea and he had given her a funny look.

"And how exactly am I supposed to 'keep your parents busy'?" He had asked her with raised eyebrows and she had given him a smile.

"I don't know, make jokes, tell them about our wedding plans, anything." She had said rather impatiently.

"Okay, then. I'm not sure that's gonna get me many points with them, though." Seeing how nervous and unsure he looked, Stella had given him a reassuring smile.

"Hey, we're already past that phase when my father hated you. He's like your biggest fan now and he's really excited about the wedding." She had excitedly told him and his eyebrows had been raised higher.

"My biggest fan?" He had questioned and she had nodded.

"Yep. You two get along well and even if you didn't, you're my fiancée, so you'll have to do this for me. For us." She had said more firmly, her hand resting on her stomach by the last statement.

"And people think that you're not smart." He had commented after sighing in defeat. Against what many thought, Stella was actually a very clever person and she always knew exactly how to convince him to do crazy things.

"I knew that I could count on you." She had said with a huge smile after he had given in. "Can you believe that we might actually be on the road to become parents?" She had changed the topic and a smile had come to his face.

"Yeah, it seems so unbelievable." He had commented with a faraway look, images of the two of them with a child crossing his mind.

"Do you think we're ready?" She asked for his opinion, wanting to make sure that they were truly together in this, in case her suspicions came to be true.

"I think we are, we've talked about having children before and, though we decided to start trying only after we got married, this is okay, for me." He had said truthfully and her heart had stopped beating so fast with anticipation and fear. A relaxed smile came to her face when she added in her own opinion.

"I feel the same, I've always wanted children and I think that this is a great opportunity for us. If it's true, I will be happy." They had smiled at each other then before leaning in for a soft kiss.

"We should get going." He had said once they had broken apart and she had nodded. So, they had taken each other's hand before she had used her magic to teleport them to Solaria.

"Here we are." Stella said once they arrived at the palace gates and both stared nervously at them.

"Stella!" An excited Luna had exclaimed once she came out of the palace wearing her usual blue gown. King Radius followed her with a smile as he looked at his daughter and future son-in-law.

"Good afternoon mother, father." The princess greeted them formally before she hugged her mother and then her father. Brandon stayed behind rather awkwardly until Luna decided to hug him while Stella was hugging Radius.

"I'm glad that you've come with her, Brandon. There's a lot that needs to be discussed." She told him with a bright smile that was returned..

"Let me guess... Wedding plans?" He asked with a smirk and she noddd.

"Of course. We still have to settle on the date, the place and so many other details." The former queen of Solaria told him in a mix between excitement and despair and the brunette specialist had to hold himself not to laugh.

"Come in, then." Radius said and they followed him to the throne room.

"I have to check something in my room, I'll be back soon." Stella said as soon as they arrived and her parents nodded, unsuspecting.

"So, how's everything going here?" Brandon nervously asked after she was gone.

"Everything's fine since Trix haven't attacked us yet." Radius replied firmly and Brandon decided this was a good way to stall them.

"Yeah, they've been doing quite a damage around the magic schools, thank goodness they haven't reached Solaria's Star." He told them, mentioning to the fairy's school where they had tried to send Stella, but she had insisted on going to Alfea.

"We've been increasing the guard force there, just in case."Radius said proudly before Luna changed the subject once again.

"How are things with the Winx? Did they have any luck on their latest mission?" She curiously asked and Brandon was at a loss for words as he didn't recall what their mission had been about, it had been so long ago.

"Well, Stella told me it was fine." He vaguely answered, but they didn't seem to notice his unsureness.

"That's good. This means that they're closer to defeating the Trix, so we can finally be at peace." Luna said happily and Radius smiled too.

"And perhaps Stella can spend more time here, there's still a lot she needs to learn before she can take the throne." He said before turning to Brandon. "As do you, Brandon. If you're to be king of Solaria someday, you'll need to be taught everything." Brandon was glad that his tone wasn't reprehensible or dislikeable.

"I'd be honoured if you were to taught me everything about it, King Radius." He said formally and Radius smiled.

"Good. So be sure to come here soon so that you two can spend some time learning about it before the wedding." The king warned and Brandon smiled back. Before the conversation could go any further, Stella came back, looking excited.

"Hey, honey, can I talk to you for a second?" She asked him and Brandon smiled at her.

"Of course. If you'll excuse me." He told her parents and they nodded so he attempted to follow Stella as she dragged him out of the room. "So, how did it go?" He whispered once they were outside, with the sun shining above them and a soft breeze keeping them from getting too hot.

"I texted Aisha so that she could tell me about the spell she used to make sure that she was pregnant. It was an easy one, so I was able to do it alone. I had to wait a few minutes, though, so that's why I took a while." She explained. "Did everything go okay with my parents?"

"Yes, guess you were right. Your father even asked me to spend a few days here before the wedding so that he could teach me all about being king." Brandon told her happily and she was surprised.

"That's amazing! I told you that he liked you now. And I'm so glad that he's finally come to accept that you'll be the next king of Solaria instead of some snobby prince." She excitedly said and Brandon laughed with her.

"But you didn't finish. What were the results?" He asked after they shared another kiss to celebrate his (finally) good relationship with her father.

"It was positive. We're having a baby!" She told him with the biggest smile and a surprised look came upon his face before he broke into a smile.

"That's amazing!" He told her excitedly and they hugged, arms tightly wrapped around each other, both blissfully happy.

With Tecna and Timmy...

The technological couple made their way through Zenith with worried and nervous looks on their faces. They had decided to go to the doctor in order to figure out exactly what was wrong with Tecna before they could meet their parents. The day was unusually warm and sunny, unmatching their mood.

"I'm sure that everything will go just fine." Timmy said nervously and Tecna mirrored his unsure smile.

"Yes, the probabilities of that are about 80%, so..." There was an awkward silence as they found themselves right before the doctor's office.

"Are you ready?" He asked her unsurely and she nodded.

"Let's get this over with." Timmy was aware of how much she hated doctors, she had mentioned to him many years before when they had become friends that hospitals made her uncomfortable and she prefered to be treated in the comfort of her own home. That was why she had refused his suggestion of therapy after the experiences in the Omega Dimension, when both of them had been having nightmares for months.

"Good morning, we're here to see ." The fairy of technology said to the receptionist once they walked into the small clinic. Dr. Drake Ramoray (anyone recognize the name?) was a well known doctor in Zenith and also a wizard, so he was famous. He had been Tecna's doctor since she was a small child and she refused to see anyone that wasn't him.

"Sure, dear, you just wait for a few minutes." The nurse said automatically and the young couple sat down in those uncomfortable chairs, holding each other's hands in a vice grip. Soon, a brunette doctor with eyes of the same color and a bright smile came to meet them. He seemed to be in his late 30s.

"Good afternoon, Tecna." He greeted them politely and Tecna smiled back at him.

"Good afternoon, doctor." She replied just as formally and he gave her a small smile before his attention went to the man sitting by her side.

"And good afternoon to you, stranger. I'm assuming that you're her boyfriend?" He asked nicely and Timmy got nervous.

"I'm...In fact, I..." He stumbled and Tecna was quick to come to his rescue.

"Timmy's my fiancée, actually." She told the doctor with a bright smile and surprise crossed his face before he smiled as well.

"Now that's great! Congratulations, you two." He told them excitedly and both blushed.

"Thank you. Now shouldn't we get started on those exams?" Timmy asked and the room suddenly got tense and serious.

"Sure. Why don't you two follow me." Dr. Ramoray said and they followed him to his office. He first asked Tecna a few questions about her symptoms before she was forced to take many tests, some pretty invasive. About two hours later, those were finally done and the technology couple found themselves back in Dr. Ramoray's office, Tecna lying on the medical chair while Timmy sat on the couch. As soon as he spotted the doctor, he stand up and went to her side.

"So, what are the results?" Tecna asked curiously and the doctor made an unhappy face.

"I'm afraid that I don't have good news for you." He said slowly and gravely. The young couple shared a fearful look.

"Dr. Ramoray, what's wrong with Tecna?" He asked and gulped, trying to keep himself calm.

"To tell the truth, I'm not so sure. The tests have been rather inconclusive, so it's hard to tell exactly what's wrong with you." All hope was gone from Tecna's heart after these words.

"So you don't know how to treat me." She stated sadly and he nodded. Upon seeing her fear and sadness, Timmy grabbed her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.

"Isn't there anything that you can do?" He asked Dr. Ramoray desperately and the man shook his head.

"I don't know, but I have to figure this out and fast, because there's more than one life at stake here." This statement made both of their heart freeze as they caught onto what he was saying.

"Wait, more than one life?" Timmy asked confusingly while Tecna put an unsure hand on her stomach.

"This can't be. I can't be pregnant, I haven't showed any of the symptoms." She said, dumbfounded and she and Timmy shared worried looks.

"That's because of your illnesses, whichever it is. It has canceled most of your symptoms and this is dangerous. Your child could be in great danger." The doctor gave them a moment for the seriousness of the situation to sink in. "I need to check out if everything's okay." He said urgently and Tecna nodded.

"Of course. Then check it out now, please." She begged and he smiled at them.

"I'll give you a few minutes alone." He said gently before he walked out, leaving the young couple in silent.

"So, this is...unexpected." Timmy commented while letting out a nervous laugh.

"And illogical too, we're definitely not ready for this." She said seriously and Timmy looked at her unsurely.

"Aren't we? We've been together for years, we're engaged. It would be best if this happened after we got married, but are we truly not ready?" She looked surprisingly at him, shocked by how well he was taking this. She would have thought that he would freak out, but he didn't. She guessed this must be proof of how much he had grown ever since their relationship started.

"I don't know. But I guess that if you think about it, we should be." She commented, sounding less panicked than before, his tranquilness helping her calm down.

"80% of people people say that a child is a blessing. I guess we should think of it like that." Timmy said calmly and she couldn't help but smile, enjoying his way of thinking. Before the conversation could go any further, Dr. Ramoray came back with the equipments. He smiled at them before placing the small, portable screen on the table facing Tecna's chair and put his own chair by her side.

"Okay, first I'm going to put some gel, which will be cold." He warned and she nodded once again. He put the gel on her uncovered stomach, since she was wearing a top, and she shivered before relaxing. "Okay, now let's take a look." He used a remote control to turn on the small tv and they looked at the screen where a strange picture was shown. There was something tiny, looking like a small potato in the middle of it.

"Is that the baby?" Tecna asked, voice shaking as she attempted to control herself. There was a difference between being told that they were having a child and actually seeing the living proof of it. Upon looking at the small image, Timmy wasn't doing any better than her, his eyes were wide and his breath was caught in his throat.

"Yes, that's it."Dr. Ramoray nodded with a smile.

"It's so tiny." Timmy said while staring in amazement at the picture and the doctor cast the young man a smile.

"How far along am I?" The fairy of technology curiously asked.

"About 6 weeks." The doctor said after a few seconds and they blushed as they recalled the day they had celebrated their 4th year anniversary as a couple. "Oh, can you hear this sound?" Dr. Ramoray said and they paused so that they could hear the low sound that soon filled the room. "That's the heartbeat. It's strong, which is a good sign."

The next few minutes were spent with the doctor cheking out the small TV screen and the young couple watching him curiously and worriedly. The silence was awkward and filled with tension as they awaited to find out if their child was okay. "Okay, so, everything looks normal, but since you're so early in your pregnancy, it's truly hard to tell." Dr. Ramoray said after a few minutes.

"So you don't know for sure if everything is truly alright?" Tecna asked him, some anger seeping in her voice.

"Unfortunately, no. This is a rare case, Tecna, and those are harder to handle. So, I'll give you something to help diminish the effects of your illness and you should come back here in two weeks. By then you will have reached two months into your pregnancy, so I'll be able to make sure that everything is alright." After that, they said their goodbyes and the young couple walked out of the clinic, feeling even worse than when they had walked in.

With Flora and Helia...

The nature fairy returned from the conversation with her mother about an hour later. There was an awkward silence between them after Catherine left with Claude. "So, we should be going home." She told him with a nervous smile.

"I already called your parents to let them know that we'll be coming for dinner." Helia replied with the same nervous smile and she looked at him surprisingly. "That is, if you want me to go too."

"Of course I want you to come with me. You didn't have to do that, Helia." She told him gently and he looked at her the way he used to, when things were simpler, when they were happy. It was a look of love, of adoration that she didn't think that she'd ever see again.

"You know I'd do anything for you, Flora." His sweet response made her heart flutter and she had a desire to kiss him, but she was unsure on whether it would be appropriate, so she restrained herself.

"Let's get going, then." She said instead and walked towards the door. She heard him sigh before he followed her and her heart hurt. She knew that they needed to talk, but she wasn't going to begin this painful conversation and apparently neither did he.

"Flora!" Her mother screamed with delight once they appeared in front of the house, her father and Miele trailing behind her with huge smiles on their faces. Though she was filled with guilt, pain and confusion, Flora knew that her parents deserved to be treated nicely. So she put on a fake smile and greeted them enthusiastically.

"Hey, mom, dad." She hugged them both tightly and they hugged her back, warmly and gently.

"Good night, Mr Rollos, Miss. Alyssa." Helia greeted them formally once she was talking to Miele and they showed the same warmth for him because they loved him like their own son. That was one the things Flora loved most about her relationship with Helia, the way he got along with her friends and family.

"How about you three take a walk around the gardens before dinner?" Rollos suggested and Flora nodded.

"I think I'll stay around here, I'm a bit tired after the day we've had." Helia commented and she noticed the way he looked so broken and she desperately wanted to make things better, but she didn't know how.

"I'm definitely going! I can't wait to hear all about your newest mission!" Miele said excitedly and Flora couldn't help but smile at her.

"Are you sure that you'll be okay?" She turned to Helia with concern and he nodded sadly.

"Yes, you go and have fun." He wished and she sighed before leaving with Miele. If her parents noticed the tension between them, they said nothing.

The two sisters came back about 30 minutes later and they they had a delightful dinner, with the exception of Helia's silence and Flora's unusual and fake overexcitement as she tried to sway everyone's attention to her. Her parents weren't stupid or clueless and they asked them many times if everything was alright between the young couple, with Flora always answering that everything was fine and they were just tired.

"Thank you for this lovely dinner. You guys are the best parents anyone could ask for, I love you guys so much." By the end of dinner Flora couldn't help herself and she hugged her parents tightly, feeling guilty about all that she hadn't shared with them and could never share. They were surprised by how desperate she sounded.

"We love you too, sweetheart." Rollo said gently as him and Alyssa returned their daughter's hug while casting worried looks towards her.

"Flora, sweetheart, are you sure that everything is alright?" Alyssa asked her and the fairy of nature shook her head.

"I just missed you guys."She replied with the first real smile that day.

"We missed you too, honey." Rollos replied before he kissed the top of her forehead gently.

"Maybe when this mess with the Trix is over you two can spend a while here. I know you're thinking of staying in your own place after the wedding, but we'd like if you stayed here during summer break." Alyssa told the young couple hopefully and Flora's smile fell after she heard the word 'wedding'. Deciding that this wasn't the right time to tell her parents about everything that had happened and all the lies she had told, she simply gave them a smile.

"That would be perfect, mom. We'll be sure to spend some time here." She told them sincerely and her parents smiled at her.

"It's settled then. You two will finally be able to taste my delicious new apple pie." Rollos commented with a proud look on his face and Alyssa rolled her eyes.

"Honey, you need to stop mentioning that pie every time someone comes over." She scolded him, though the smile on her face told them that she wasn't mad at him at all.

"I just want our daughter to have the best and her fiancée too. Helia's a part of the family now and that means he will have to taste all of my delicious recipes." Rollos joked while looking at the blue haired specialist, who smiled forcefully.

"I can't wait." He commented and Flora noticed that he was close to losing control, so she sighed before looking at him.

"Would you like to take a walk, Helia?" He nodded his head in agreement and they excused themselves before she gave her parents and sister hugs and they walked out. Both dreaded the conversation that was coming, but they knew that they had to do it or else their relationship would forever be ruined.

They walked until they reached the famous Waterfalls where he had proposed to her. Being there caused both their hearts to hurt as the happy memories of a lovely night filled their minds. A night so long ago, when everything was easier. Silence was all anyone could hear as neither knew how to begin. In the end, Flora was the one to break the silence.

"This place is beautiful." She told him, her eyes shifting between him and the waterfalls.

"Not as beautiful as you." He replied with a small smile. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself." She sighed and shook her head.

"This doesn't feel right." He gave her a questioning look, so she elaborated. "Being here with you, hearing you compliment me and then apologize. This isn't like us." He looked away and sighed as well.

"Things have changed." He said simply, his voice pained.

"I wonder if there even is an us after everything that happened." She confessed heartbrokenly and this time he looked her right in the eyes.

"I know that I still love you." It was his confession and a sad smile came to her face.

"And I love you too, but after all that I discovered today, after learning so much about my family and my parents, I just need some time to myself." Her words shattered his already broken heart.

"So you don't want us to be together?" He asked brokenly and she sighed.

"It's more complicated than that, Helia. I just need some time, to heal after everything that happened." She looked at him, just as broken. She knew what she had to say next and she knew that it would break both of them even more. "And you, you deserve more than this, Helia." He tried to object, but she continued. "I know that you've forgiven me for lying to you, but I can't forgive myself. You're a much better person than I am and I want you to find happiness and love, even if that's with someone else." It was her turn to look away as tears began cascading down her face.

"No!" He exclaimed and the shock made her look back at him. "I don't care what you think, I know how I feel and I know that I can't live without you. I lost you today, Flora, even if for a few minutes, and I never want to go through that pain again." By then both of them were crying.

"So what are you saying?" She asked in confusion and he gently grabbed her hand.

"I want to be with you, Flora." She stared at him in disbelief.

"Why? Why would you possibly want to be with me after all the pain that I caused you, after I broke your heart so many times?" She screamed at him after letting go of his hand and stepping back.

"There is no greater pain than that of losing you." He confessed with a sad smile. "I know that now and that is enough to make me want to never let you go again. That's what tells me to forget about James and to forgive you because no matter what you put me through, being without you is worse. And besides, I know your story and I understand your reasons for lying." She shook her head vigorously, not wanting to hear anymore excuses. "I told you once that you're the only one in my heart and that remains true. I still love you." She sighed deeply after hearing his passionate speech.

"Oh, Helia. Are you absolutely sure about this?" She asked while she closed the distance between them and he nodded.

"Yes. If you'll still have me, I want to be with you once again." He said determinately, his face breaking into a smile once he noticed that her expression held no more anger or regret, only love. "And so that you'll never doubt my love and devotion to you, I want you to hold onto this." He put his hand in his uniform pocket and pulled out a small box that she recognized. He opened it to reveal the ring he had given to her 5 months ago.

"Helia, as much as I love you, I am nowhere near wanting to marry anyone now." She hated rejecting him, but it was the truth.

"I'm not saying we get married right away, we can wait until we're both ready, until we've both had enough time to heal. I just want you to have it as a symbol of my love for you so that you'll never forget." A bright smile came to her face and she held out her hand so that he could place the ring back where it used to be. He did so and then kissed her hand in a sweet gesture she had been used to.

"I'm so lucky to have found you, truly. I love you, my handsome hero." She told them while looking at him with so much love his heart was ready to burst.

"I'm the lucky one, you truly are an amazing girl, Flora Blanchet." They weren't able to hold themselves any longer, so they leaned in for a heated, passionate kiss as her arms wrapped tightly against his neck and he brought her closer while holding her waist. They stayed like that for a few minutes, enjoying the feel of being in each other's arms when she wasn't covered in blood and he wasn't feeling like his heart had been ripped out. Their heartfelt confessions had strengthened them and mended their broken hearts. They were once again whole, complete because they were together.

"You know, I think I might have an idea." Helia said softly about 15 minutes later, after they had decided to sit down on the grass so that they could watch the waterfalls shine under the moonlight. They had been in a comfortable silence until them.

"What is it?" She dreamily asked, a happy smile on her face.

"Maybe we could take a trip somewhere, away from all this mess with the Trix." She nodded, liking the idea.

"It would be the perfect opportunity for us to heal and spend some time together." She agreed and he smile brightly at her.

"Then let's go. Tomorrow, after the ball." She looked at him curiously.

"Where should we go?" He laughed before giving his response.

"Doesn't really matter, as long as I'm with you, I'll be fine." She rolled her eyes at his cheesy reply.

"How about Melody? I remember Musa mentioning her house near the singing whales, it seems like a lovely vocation spot." He nodded.

"Sounds wonderful." Was his simple reply before he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, feeling her shiver, and brought her closer to him.

"I'll talk to her at the ball then." She said before they resumed to silently watching the water cascading down the mountain, a beautiful sight that Flora had always loved. They stayed there until late hours, when Flora's phone rang with a message from her concerned parents. They decided to go back home then and they walked back with hands held in a vice grip and huge smiles on their faces. For the first time in months, they were finally happy.

So, what are your thoughts?

Did you enjoy the Stella X Brandon scenes? What are your thoughts on their pregnancy?

What about Tecna and Timmy? I know there weren't many details about her illness, but I decided it would be more interesting if she had something rare and unknown. It's kinda like Aisha's father, if anyone even remembers. He'll appear in the next chapter.

And what did you think of the Flora X Helia scenes? What did you think of their reunion scene? And the funny scenes with her parents? I told you things would turn out alright for them in the end, though this isn't the end yet. From now on you'll be getting mostly cute and adorable scenes from those two, there won't be much drama. That will be reserved for Tecna and Timmy.

Also, the conversation between Flora and Catherine will be mentioned next chapter and I think you'll like it.


	27. New Beginnings Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bloom and Sky attempt to tell their parents about their engagement while Musa and Riven had a surprisingly wonderful visit to Melody. On the other hand, the fear of her father's death keeps Aisha anxious and upset as Nabu tries to comfort her. What will be Teredor's fate? And will Sky's parents accept Bloom and Sky's love?

Hello, people. This will be another mostly romantic chapter before the story continues. The next few chapters will follow a few eps of Season 6 that I find important or that I enjoy. I have a few surprises planned there, mostly regarding Tecna and Timmy.

Happy reading!

With Bloom, Sky, Daphne and Thoren...

The two couples walked towards the castle of Domino, the two sisters behind their partners as they chatted happily. Their mood wasn't so happy, though, they were extremely worried about what they would find once they reached the palace. Seeing the village was fine, not destroyed as Roxy had mentioned, brought them hope, but it wasn't enough. They knew that they wouldn't be able to relax until they saw with their own eyes that their parents were alright.

"So, how does it feel to be engaged?" Daphne asked her curiously and a Bloom smiled dreamily.

"Feels great. I've been waiting for so long for this to happen, it feels like a dream." The blonde princess laughed at her sister's distracted posture.

"Well, I feel the same way when I'm with Thoren. After spending so many years mostly alone, it feels too good to be true." Daphne confessed and Bloom was surprised.

"I didn't know you felt that way, Daphne." She commented and Daphne smiled.

"It's okay, I'm not alone anymore, so I'm fine. Really." She reassured her sister, who couldn't keep the worried smile off her face.

"Okay, then. And you'll never be alone again, because I'm here for you and so are the Winx." Bloom told her while giving her hand a squeeze. "You deserve to be as happy as I am, Daphne." The blonde princess smiled brightly at her sister.

"And I am happy, Bloom. More than I ever thought I could be, more than before Domino was destroyed."

"Bloom, we're here." Sky called their attention before they could say something else and both sisters looked at the huge castle in front of them.

"Everything looks fine." Daphne commented and Bloom nodded before she started climbing the stairs, the others following her closely. They opened the door and entered the throne room. For a few seconds, they stood in front of the door, frozen, as they watched as King Oritel and Queen Marion talked to Queen Samara and King Erendor.

"Oh, girls. What are you doing here?" Marion exclaimed once she noticed them and she started walking their way with a bright smile.

"We've missed you, so we thought that we'd pay you a visit." Marion's words caused them to leave their frozen positions, so Bloom was able to reply.

"Well, I am glad that you're here." Oritel added as he approached them as well. He and his wife took turns hugging their daughters while Sky's parents stood behind looking cautious.

"Good afternoon mother, father." Sky greeted them formally and they cast him small smiles.

"Sky, dear, we thought that you'd be training now." Samara said before she moved in for a quick hug.

"I was helping the Winx, but now that their latest mission is finished, Bloom and I decided to come here." The prince explained and they nodded.

"Of course. I'm glad you're here, son. There are matters that need to be discussed." Erendor told him in a serious tone that left Sky rather unsettled.

"Okay." He replied unsurely and Thoren coughed.

"Might I say it's great to see you again, your majesties." He greeted the royal couple, who looked at him with forced smiles.

"It's always a pleasure to meet you, Thoren." Samara said and before he could reply, Bloom came to Sky's side as she held his hand tightly and everyone turned their attentions to them.

"The other reason that we came here is because we have some big news to tell you." The fairy of the dragon flame said while smiling nervously and Samara gasped.

"Oh god, please tell me that you're not pregnant." She said while shaking her head desperately and Bloom was hurt. It was true that Sky's parents had never been fond of her, but after so many years, you'd expect that the idea of them being together wouldn't cause them such despair.

"I'm not." Bloom replied rather coldly and the royal couple of Eraklyon sighed in relief.

"No, what Bloom and I wanted to tell you is that we're engaged." Sky announced with a warm smile while he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It was about time!" Marion commented with a huge smile and Oritel smiled too.

"Congratulations, you two." He told them sincerely and the couple's smiles enlarged.

"That's definitely great news." Erendor said, though his smile still seemed forced.

"Indeed. Now, where is the ring? I know Erendor haven't given Sky our family heirloom, so which ring did you use?" Samara asked the young couple, looked the opposite of satisfied with their news.

"Oh, I didn't have any ring, so I gave her this instead." Sky pointed to the emerald necklace Bloom was wearing and she took it off so everyone could take a look.

"It's beautiful." Marion said while looking at it in amazement.

"Well done, Sky. I always knew that you were different and I have to say, I loved your idea of a necklace instead of a ring." Oritel told him with a proud smile.

"Thank you, your majesty. Let it be clear that I do intend on giving Bloom a ring later." Sky quickly said and Bloom smiled brightly at him.

"We should celebrate tonight." Daphne said with a smile of her own and her parents nodded.

"Yes, we do. Now let's get to dinner so that you can tell us everything about the proposal." Marion said excitedly and they followed her to the dining room to a delightful dinner.

With Aisha and Nabu...

They walked silently around Andros, Lana safely in her mother's arms. The little girl let out laughs and screams as she stared at the landscape in wonder and amazement. The young couple found themselves laughing from time to time, though worry was their predominant feeling. Aisha thought about her father as she wondered how he would be because it had been so long since she had seen him. Getting the news of his death from Roxy had truly unsettled her and she was having trouble controlling her panic.

"Aisha, I'm sure everything's okay." Nabu tried to comfort her and she glared at him.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked desperately and before he could answer, Lana started crying. "Oh, no. Please, sweetheart, it's okay." She attempted to calm down the little girl, getting herself even more stressed in the process.

"Here, let me try." Nabu said before he picked the little girl up and soothed her. It took a few minutes, but she eventually calmed down and so did Aisha.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so stressed thinking about my father." Aisha told him after the little girl had stopped crying and he cast her an understanding look.

"It's okay, love, I know. We'll be getting there in just a few minutes." He replied and she looked around in surprise, realized that they were almost at the palace. They walked the few meters left and they were greeted by Aisha's mother, who had been waiting for them in the balcony near the sea. Upon seeing coming, she walked their way with a tired smile.

"Aisha, darling, what a great surprise!" Niobe greeted them happily before she and Aisha hugged warmly.

"Good afternoon, mom. Is everything alright around here?" The fairy of waves worriedly asked and Niobe sighed.

"As I'm sure Nabu has already mentioned to you, your father has gotten worse since the last time you were here." The queen replied and Nabu had a confused look as he attempted to understand why he would know what had happened to the king of Andros.

"How much worse?" Aisha asked fearfully and Niobe sighed once again.

"You'll see for yourself, he has been asking to see you ever since he found out that you were coming tonight." She told the young couple sadly. A cry followed her statement and a smile lightened her face once she noticed the little girl in Nabu's arms. "I see you've bought Lana here, it was about time." She joked before she approached Nabu so that she could get a better look on the small child. "Wow. How is it possible that she has grown so much in just a few days?" She asked them curiously and they recalled that she had no idea of the 3 months that had passed.

"Well, there's something that we need to tell you, mom." Aisha said nervously and Niobe cast her a worried look.

"Oh, please tell me it's not bad news. I've had my share of those recently." She pleaded and the young couple shared a look. This was going to be a long night.

"Can we see my father first?" Aisha asked her and Niobe nodded.

"Of course. Follow me." They followed her inside the castle and through long hallways, until they reached the infirmary, where King Therendor had settled himself a few days previous. Niobe knocked on the door and a quiet "come in" was heard, so they entered the room. It had purple walls, a small table filled with remedies and a big bed in the corner, where the king sat.

"Welcome home, darling daughter." He greeted Aisha with a tired smile and she quickly ran towards him and gently sat by his side so that she could give him a hug. He responded by wrapping his arms around her in an unusually soft hug. It was a small gesture that showed how sick he was, king Therendor was usually so strong and though.

"Good afternoon, your majesty." Nabu gently greeted his father-in-law and he passed Lana to Aisha so that they could share an awkward man hug.

"How are you doing, father?" Aisha worriedly asked once Nabu and her father parted.

"I was doing worse last night, but I'm feeling better now."Was the king's vague response and she knew that he was saying that just so she wouldn't worry too much. Well, it was too late for that.

"What happened last night?" The fairy of waves asked Queen Niobe sighed before she answered.

"He passed out after not being able to breathe. It took a while for the nurse to make his heartbeat returned to normal, but she thankfully was able to." Aisha sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness. I'm sure she'll figure out a cure soon." Nabu said hopefully and, as king Therendor turned to him with a thankful smile, he suddenly noticed the baby girl in his arms.

"Is that Lana?" He asked with widened eyes and Aisha smiled.

"Yes, she's been so calm lately." She mentioned to the fact that usually the little girl would be crying nonstop.

"She's so big. How old is she again?" Therendor asked her curiously and confusingly and Aisha knew that this was the time to come clean.

"Father, mother, there's something that we need to tell you." She said after a heavy sigh and both her parents looked at her. Seeing how nervous she was, Nabu gently held her hand and squeezed it before he started telling them everything that had happened in the past 3 months.

With Musa and Riven...

They had decided to visit Musa's father in Melody because it had been awhile since the fairy of music had seen him. They walked along the shores, passing through Musa's old house near the singing whales spot, where they stopped for a while to listen to the beautiful melody. Riven wrapped his arms around her from behind and both of them stayed there, feeling peaceful and calm, as they hummed to the beautiful song of the singing whales.

"It's so peaceful here." He commented and she nodded in agreement.

"That's what I love most about this place. It takes away all the worries, the stress." She told him happily while the gentle breeze made her long blue hair sway.

"Perhaps we should spend more time here. Maybe in the summer?" He asked her and she nodded once again.

"Great idea, Riven. Now, come on, my father's waiting for us." She walked away and he followed her. Not even 20 minutes later they were at her house, where her father waited for them in the porch while he sat in a rocking chair.

"Ah, Musa." He greeted them warmly and the fairy of music was quick to give him a tight hug.

"Hello, papa. How are you?" She greeted with a soft smile once they parted.

"I've been doing great, my dear. Things have been calm around here, so I'm just enjoying the weather." He replied with a smile of his own.

"That's good to hear, sir. I was just telling Musa about how peaceful it is around here." Riven piped in nervously, afraid of the older man's reaction to him being there. His relationship with Ho-Bo had never been a great one because of the man's protectiveness of Musa and Riven's sore mood. However, since the beginning of the year, when Riven had changed his attitude and attempted to be nicer, it could be said that there was improvement. Maybe the fact that he had been dating Musa for almost 3 years now had made Ho-Bo realize that he wasn't going away anytime soon.

"It's definitely peaceful. You know, you two should spend more time here when your mission is over. It's the perfect place for you to relax."The older man replied warmly, erasing Riven's fears.

"We were just talking about it, papa. We are planning on spending summer in the lake house." Musa excitedly said and Ho-Bo's smile enlarged.

"What a great idea!" He told her before there was a beeping sound.

"What's that?" Musa asked worriedly once she noticed his eyes go wide.

"The pasta!" Ho-Bo screamed before he rushed into the house. Musa and Riven shared worried looks and they followed him. Their concerns disappeared once they noticed that he had run to the kitchen and was pulling out two huge bowls containing what seemed to be spaghetti.

"You made pasta?" Musa asked him incredulously after he had put the bowls on the kitchen table.

"I've been taking some cooking lessons from Rollos, so I've learned a few things."He replied with an unusual smirk. (Let's pretend that Ho-Bo is like BFF's with Flora's parents and Tecna's too. How awesome would that be)

"It sure looks delicious, sir." Riven commented with a huge smile and he was pleased to see the older man smile back.

"Thanks, Riven. It's good to see someone appreciating my food." He joked and Musa rolled her eyes.

"Ass kisser." She muttered, referring to Riven. "I was just surprised, papa. You weren't a fan of cooking before." She recalled and Ho-Bo shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, guess this is what happens when you spend too much time around Rollos. He might not be a magical creature, but his food is certainly magical." He told them and everyone laughed. "Now come on, sit down you two so that I can serve you some delicious spaghetti with tomato sauce." He added and the young couple followed his orders. They ate the food while discussing everything that was happening in the magic dimension and making summer plans. During dinner, Riven remained mostly quiet, his violet eyes watching Musa with amazement as an idea came to his mind.

"Sir, may I speak with you?" He asked afterwards, while Musa was watching the dishes and the two man had been left alone in the kitchen.

"Of course, son. What's on your mind?" Ho-Bo asked curiously and Riven started getting nervous, knowing that what he wanted to ask was no small deal.

"I've been thinking a lot lately and I need your help with something." He vaguely replied and Ho-Bo raised his eyebrows.

"Is this about Musa? Are you planning a surprise for her?" He questioned the young man, who nodded.

"Something like that." Upon seeing the man's puzzled look, Riven quickly explained his idea, making sure that he wasn't too loud so that Musa couldn't hear them. By the end of his story, Ho-Bo was shocked and surprised, but he easily agreed to help Riven with his surprise. The fairy of music came back a few minutes later to find both men lightly discussing summer plans.

"Everything alright here?" She asked them with raised eyebrows and they nodded.

"Of course. Just discussing summer plans." Riven replied with a smile and, though she was still suspicious, Musa decided to let it go. She knew that he would tell her the truth when he was ready.

"Okay." She replied calmly. "I had an idea while I was watching the dishes, but I'm not sure if you'll like it." She told Riven unsurely and Riven cast her a surprised look.

"What is it, Musa?" He asked a bit concerned and she cast him a sad smile.

"I was thinking that you might want to visit your mom, since it's been a while." Her words left him more surprised than ever as he knew that he would have never thought of that.

"My mom?" He asked and Musa nodded.

"Yeah, I'm sure that you don't want to, but I just thought that this might be a good idea." She replied nervously, expecting him to voice his disagreement, but he didn't.

"I think you're right. We should do this." He told her and it was her turn to be surprised.

"Okay. Shall we go now then?" She asked before standing up. Though they had just had dinner, it wasn't dark outside yet, so there was no big deal with them visiting the cemetery.

"Sure." Riven replied determinately before he stood up as well.

"While you're there, you could take these to Matlin." Ho-Bo called for their attention as he walked towards the living room and came back holding a small bouquet of lilies. "I was going to go there tomorrow, but I think that she would prefer if you went, Musa." He told her and teh fairy of music nodded while fighting off tears. Riven gently grabbed the bouquet from Ho-Bo.

"We'll take them and we'll buy some more for my mother." He told him gently and Ho-Bo smiled.

"No need to buy more flowers, I've got another bouquet planned." He told them before he went back to the living room and came back with yet another bouquet, this time of sunflowers." Riven stared at the bouquet with wide eyes.

"I recall that my mother's favorite flower were sunflowers. What a coincidence." The young man commented and Musa smiled at him before she picked the bouquet of lilies so that he could pick the one of sunflowers.

"Will you be spending the night?" Ho-Bo asked the couple before they left and Musa nodded. "I'll prepare the guest room then." He added and the fairy of music rolled her eyes at her father's insistence that she and Riven slept in separate rooms. It's not as if they had never slept together, they had been dating for years after all. But that was her father and he had his rules that she thought would be better be followed.

"We'll be back before it gets dark. Goodbye, papa." She gave him another tight hug.

"Okay then. And you, take care of my little girl." Ho-Bo turned to Riven with a threatening look, however, for the first time in years, there was no anger or resentment behind it. No, for the first time there was acceptance. Musa was very surprised when her father pulled Riven in for a hug, for the first time.

"Seems like things are finally changing between those two." She muttered while she watched them with a smile. Her eyes turned to the vast sky, where she imagined her mother would be, and her smile got even brighter. "Thanks, mom." She said softly and a few tears fell, but, for the first time, they were happy tears.

The next day, in the palace of Limphea...

The Winx and specialists met in the gardens as they had agreed the day before. Flora and Helia were the first to arrive, since they had been in Limphea. The nature fairy wore a light pink dress with shoes of the same color and her hair was left in a braid. As for Helia, he wore a midnight blue suit that matched his eyes and his hair was left in a loose ponytail. They arrived there just as the party was starting, so they were able to speak to Princess Krystal before she had to greet all the other princes, princesses and lords.

"You look beautiful!" Flora complimented her once they met and it was true. Wearing a sparkling light green dress, with her hair in a loose bun and golden shoes, Krystal looked more beautiful than they had ever seen her.

"Absolutely. Is Daniel gonna be here?' Helia lightly teased her before she could respond to Flora and she blushed.

"Yes, this is like our 2 months anniversary." Krystal told them with a radiant smile that the young couple returned.

"Ah, congratulations you two. I'm so happy you've found each other." Flora told her excitedly.

"Thanks, Flo. I'm happy too." Their meeting was interrupted as Stella, Brandon, Bloom, Sky, Daphne and Thoren arrived.

"Hey there, Krystal." The fairy of the sun greeted her first with a small smile. There was some tension between herself and the princess, since Stella had never forgiven her for standing between Flora and Helia the year before.

"Hello, girls. Thank you so much for coming." Krystal greeted them warmly and each gave their congratulations. Soon, the rest of them arrived and everyone was crowding over Krystal when her attention was caught by a rather late guest. Daniel came their way with an apologizing look on his face and his hands nervously tucked inside his suit's pockets. (won't describe his appearance, so picture Sam Evans from Glee Club) Most of the Winx hadn't met him yet, so they looked at the young specialist curiously.

"Who's that? He's kinda cute." Stella commented and Flora laughed at the way her friend was analyzing their newest guest and how Brandon stared at her with disbelief.

"That's Daniel. He's Krystal's boyfriend." The nature fairy told her friends and understanding looks came upon their faces.

"Hello, guys. I'm so sorry that I'm late."He greeted them before turning to the beautiful princess of Limphea.

"It's okay." Krystal told him with a smile and she wrapped her arms around his neck so that they could share a small kiss.

"You look absolutely stunning." He complimented her after they pulled apart and she laughed while blushing.

"Thanks. Would you like to dance before the rest of the royals come?" She asked him and he nodded. With one last smile towards the group, they were gone.

"I'd love to dance too." Stella said after they left, looking suggestively at her fiancée.

"Sure, princess. But first, remember what we agreed on?" He reminded her and Stella nodded.

"Of course. We have some news to share with you guys." She turned to her friends with a bright smile and everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at her.

"Is everything okay?" Bloom asked, always worried.

"Yes, more than okay actually. Brandon and I just found out..." Stella said before she shared a knowing look with Brandon.

"We're going to be parents." He finished excitedly and the others gasped.

"Really? That's so great!" Musa told them with the same excitement.

"Wait a second! You too?" Tecna asked in disbelief and everyone looked at her even more shocked.

"Tecna?" The fairy of music questioned with raised eyebrows and Timmy laughed nervously.

"Well, this wasn't how we planned to tell you guys, but..."He stuttered and Flora and Stella squealed.

"You're pregnant too?" The fairy of the shining sun asked happily and Tecna nodded while blushing.

"This is the best day ever! Babies everywhere!" Bloom joked and they joined her in laughing.

"Yes! But seriously, Tec, I thought that you were sick." Musa said confusingly once the laughter died down.

"I am sick, which is why I'm so worried about the baby." Tecna said sadly, her mood dropping completely.

"Oh. This isn't good." Stella worriedly said before she gave her friend a reassuring smile. "But I'm sure that everything will turn out alright in the end. After all, we're here for you, both of you." She added and Tecna's eyes filled with tears.

"Thanks, Stel."The fairy of technology said before hugging her tightly.

"Stella is right, we're all gonna do our best to help you, Tecna." Bloom added after the two friends parted and Tecna gave her a thankful smile.

"Well, since this is the night for news, I think that you two lovebirds have something to tell us." Musa said with a smirk while she stared at Flora and Helia, who had been rather quiet.

"Us?" Flora asked them confusingly and Stella smirked too.

"Yeah. You're holding hands and being all lovely. Are you guys back together?" She asked them excitedly and the young couple blushed before nodding.

"Finally!"Aisha muttered and Helia laughed.

"I couldn't agree more that it was about time." He said while looking at the nature fairy with an adoring smile.

"I'm sure that you'll understand that after everything we've been through, we're gonna need some time to heal, so I won't be joining in on your mission to defeat the Trix for a while." She told her friends seriously and they sighed.

"We understand, Flo." Bloom spoke for all of them with understanding.

"So you'll be staying at your parents?" Aisha curiously asked and Flora shook her head.

"We were thinking about going on a trip, just the two of us." She replied and they nodded.

"Flora had the idea for Melody, at your lake house, Musa. Is it okay if we use it for a few weeks?" Helia turned to the music fairy, who looked surprised at first, but then nodded.

"Sure. I'll let my dad know. When are you leaving?" She asked them and the couple shared a loving look.

"After the party's over." Flora told them with a sad smile.

"I'm gonna miss you guys." Stella said with a hand on her heart and the couple laughed at her dramaticness.

"It will just be for a few weeks, so that I can think about everything I've learned about my family." The nature fairy told her and Musa suddenly remembered the notebook Kenna had given her before they left.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Here." She said before she handed it to Flora.

"What's this?" She asked her before she opened the notebook. A picture fell out and Helia picked it up for her.

"Do you know who's in the picture?" Bloom asked while she looked at it over the specialist's shoulder as he handed it back to Flora.

"Yeah, I think that's my family. I recognize my mother, of course, and this must be uncle Alex." The nature fairy muttered while she stared at the picture in amazement, recognizing the people in it. She saw her grandmother, lover of white roses and her grandfather, the most handsome man in town, as she had been told. For a few minutes, she was lost in this wonderful picture of her long lost family and she barely heard it as the other's conversation continued.

"So, does anyone else have huge news that you want to tell us? The time is tonight." Stella joked once their attention went back to the prior announcements.

"Actually, Sky and I have some news as well." Bloom said with a bright smile while she held her now fiancée's hand.

"You're pregnant? Oh, yes, now our kids can be playmates and who knows, maybe they'll fall in love and get married!"An overexcited Stella yelled before she could say anything else and they laughed.

"We're not pregnant, but we just got engaged." Bloom told them excitedly and Stella and Aisha gasped.

"Really? That's great news, Bloom." The fairy of waves told her.

"Once again, it was about time." Musa joked and Bloom and Sky's smiles enlarged.

"Where's the ring? I need to see it!" Stella pretty much ordered and they laughed once again before Sky nervously scratched the back of his neck.

"Actually, I didn't have a ring at the time, so Flora offered me to her family heirloom." He explained while pointing at the emerald in Bloom's neck and the girls gushed over it.

"Wow. That's beautiful." Aisha said and Musa, Tecna and Stella nodded in agreement.

"Flora's family over there sure knew how to pick jewelry and clothes." The fairy of the shining sun added and they looked back at the nature fairy, who was so absorbed in seeing her family for the first time that she payed them no attention. She did hear her name being said, though, and a part of her was interested. However, a larger part of her, the one that had never left home, wondered if maybe she had done the right choice when she had spoken to her mother.

Back in Paris, 1543...

King Henry stood in his office with his best friend, Charles Bonnaire. It had been two hours since the terrible events that had ruined his life and he was trying his best to stay strong, though a large part of him wondered why he even had to. He had lost everything and everyone, he was all alone with the exception of his best friend. Why should he continue to live with nothing to live for?

The thought of suicide was extremely tempting, though now that he had asked Charles to assist him in removing Catherine's body and coming up with a convincible story to tell the royal court, he knew that his friend wouldn't let him do it. There was also the knowledge that France still needed him, they were in the middle of a war and he had to help his country win it. At the thought of France, his anger built up as he wondered just how many sacrifices he would have to make for this great nation that he couldn't say he loved anymore.

He remembered how Catherine was so against his decisions to make what's best for France and he understood how she felt now. He had given up a true relationship with the woman he loved, his daughter's happiness and so much more and what had he gained? Nothing. He was miserable and alone.

"What the hell?" Charles's frightened scream brought him back to reality and he was shocked to see a bright light that soon faded away to reveal Catherine and Claude.

"Catherine?" He stared at her with eyes wide as he tried not to look back at the dead body on the other side of the room. His mind swirled with theories and his heart pounded loudly.

"Charles, may we be left alone?" She said firmly and the king's advisor decided to follow her orders, still staring at her like he had just seen a ghost.

"What...How?" Henry asked her desperately and she smiled sadly.

"When the Winx went back in time I was brought back to life. Trust me, I was surprised too." She told him gently and he gulped.

"So this isn't just an hallucination? You're really here?" He asked her with a shaking voice and she put Claude on the ground before approaching him.

"I've come to apologize. Again." She told him once they were at arm's length and he barely heard her. In one desperate motion, he himself at her and she gasped in surprise before she used her strength to hold him. Her own arms wrapped around him as she brought both of them down, with him nearly sitting on her lap, his head on her shoulder as he cried like never before. "Shh, it's alright now. I'm here and everything will be okay." She comforted him while caressing his back in a sweet gesture she had done many times when the toll of being king of France weighed on his shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I've been a crying mess today." He repeated her earlier words after he was able to stop crying and they pulled apart. His arms kept wrapped around her, though, for he was afraid that she would vanish if he were to ever let her go.

"It's okay. I know you were upset about losing me and Flora." She said with a gently and sad smile.

"I never thought that I'd feel so much pain after everyone I've lost, but this hurt more." He confessed and she sighed.

"I feel terrible for being the cause of your pain, I would have never done what I did. It's just that the thought of losing Flora his too close to home and I just lost it." Was her own confession and he smiled a bit.

"I know exactly how you felt. I would have probably killed myself too, but after Charles came here, I knew that I would never get the chance." He told her and she smiled bitterly.

"Thank goodness for Charles, then. I wouldn't want to come back here and find you dead." She replied and they remained silent for a while. The silence was broken when there was a cry from the other side of the room and both turned to look at the little girl who had just fallen down.

"Claude? What is she doing here?" Henry asked while staring at his daughter with wide eyes. Catherine stood up and ran towards her before picking her up and bringing her to where they were. The little girl stopped crying once Catherine sat back down and she stared at Henry curiously.

"Flora wanted her to come here, she convinced me." Upon seeing the confused look on his face, she elaborated. "After we were brought to life and our memories restored, we had a talk. She told me that she finally understood why I did all the bad things I've done and that, though she wasn't ready yet, she would be able to forgive me soon. I apologized to her a million times and I told her how I felt, that I didn't deserve such an amazing and kind daughter as she is.

She was so gentle, Henry, reminding me so much of Isabella. Everything she taught her was there today, Flora was calm and kind and she considered my feelings above anything else. She knew that I needed her to comfort me instead of yelling at me for everything I've done. We talked about our family and I told her everything I remembered about them. It felt like it used to, before Isabella's death. We were finally able to bond.

In the end, she told me that I should come back here and try to find happiness with you. After I told her I didn't think I deserved that, and I still don't, she told me it was nonsense and if anything deserved a happy ending, it was us. She reminded me that I wasn't the only one who lost a daughter today and thinking about how much you were hurting is what made me decide to come back." She paused for a moment and by then they were both crying hysterically while holding onto each other and the precious little girl in her arms.

"Henry, despite everything I've done, all the pain I've caused you, I always loved you. That is the truth and it will always be. I love you so much that I was able to get past the fact that your father murdered my family, that you were a king and married to someone else. Your love and Flora's is what's kept me alive during all these years, what stopped my from taking my life as I so desperately wanted.

I know that we're way past forgiving and that what I've done is unforgivable. But I want you to know that no matter what you decide, I'll be there, by your side, if you allow me."

"Catherine. You're right, you've done unforgivable things. But again, so have I, and you've easily forgiven me. Because despite what many say, you have a kind and big heart. I know it and I am so glad that I was able to know you so deeply and love you so. Losing you today made me think about all that we lived and I realized that I couldn't change the past, but I hoped that I could have happiness in the future.

It seemed like an illogical wish a few minutes ago, but from the moment you came back, I realized that all I wanted was right here. You. You're everything I need and I know that we can overcome our sorrows, our sufferings together. You helped me overcome Will's death and Isabella's too, you've been a rock by my side and that's what I intend to be for you." He finished his own confession breathlessly and she smiled adoringly at him.

"What exactly are you saying?" She asked him and he took both her hands in his.

"I'm saying let's move on and find happiness in the future. Together." Little Claude laughed from Catherine's arms as if showing her agreement.

"If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do. And Claude will be the symbol of our plans for the future." She told him happily and both stared at the curious little girl.

"She's perfect. I think God decided to send her our way so that we could redeem ourselves and start over." He said with a bright smile.

"Then we'll raise her like we never got to do with little Rose. She will be the happiest child there ever was." Catherine vowed and he use an arm to bring her closer to him and, consequently, Claude.

"Yes. This will be our new beginning." He dreamily said before he decided to do what he had been waiting for since the moment she had arrived. With care for the small child in her arms, he used his hand to turn Catherine's face towards him. She understood where he was going and she passionately kissed him before he could act. It surprised him, but he easily responded with as must passion. They had kissed before, many times, they had been together for 20 years after all, but this time was different. This kiss symbolized their second chance, their new beginning.

So, what are your thoughts?

Did you enjoy the BloomX Sky scenes? Do you think I portrayed their parents right? I was unsure about making Sky's parents colder towards Bloom, but seeing the series, it's clear they're not her 'biggest fans', as Stella would say.

What about the cute Musa X Riven and Aisha X Nabu scenes? Let's assume that all the girls told their parents about the past 3 months, okay?

And the plot with Catherine, Henry and Claude? Did you like that I gave her a sort of happy ending? I actually had a very different plan for her in mind. This was the last appearance of these characters in the story, although they may have a small part in the last 2 chapters.


	28. Back to work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks later: while Bloom, Stella and Aisha go on missions to try to stop the Trix, Musa stays at Alfea with Tecna while trying to find a way to save her. Meanwhile, Flora and Helia are having a good time in Melody when they're called for a mission. Will they choose to help their friends or continue their vocations? And will Musa be able to save Tecna before it's too late?

Hello, people. Here we have the next chapter and one of the last few. The story's almost reaching its end, only 5 more to go. 

One thing I don't know if many of you noticed, but I have tried to make a parallel between Flora and Helia's relationship and Henry and Catherine's. Of course, there are some major differences between these two couples, but I've tried to show you that the core of their relationship is similar. Both women ran from troubled pasts and tried to make a fresh start. Also, they both fell in love with someone unexpected and suffered because of other women who tried to 'steal' their man (Krystal and Diane). And now, both of them are going to try to heal together and find happiness with each other. You can see those parallels well in the final scene of chapter 27.

Another thing is that I forgot to mention last chapter that my story Flowers can be considered a previous to this one. So, the relationship between Flora, Helia and Krystal in the present is based on what I wrote there. Also, for anyone who's interested, Krystal's boyfriend, Daniel, was based on the character from the novel "Fallen", by Lauren Kate. When I first planned this story, I was obsessed with it and looking forward to the movie, which turned out to be a disappointment. We'll have some more references to shows and movies I love in new characters coming by the end of the story.

Okay, so before the chapters start, let me tell you that here we have a huge Once Upon a Time reference. Actually, it's not a reference, it's shameless copying. So, let it be clear that I don't own that show. I just used the idea from S5. Now on to the chapter!

2 weeks later...

Musa sat in a comfortable chair in the Winx's dorm room at Alfea. They had just come back from their visit on Earth, one that she hadn't participated because she had been busy working just as she was now. After Krystal's party, Catherine's mysterious notebook had been given back to the fairy of music. When she had showed it to Miss. Faragonda, the headmistress had said that it could be very useful to them, so Musa had been in charge of listing all the spells in the book.

Since she had no knowledge of Italian, language used on the book, Tecna had lent her a dictionary that the fairy of technology had bought during their mission to Earth years ago. Therefore, Musa was stuck in Alfea trying to translate the spells to their language. It gave her time to think about what had happened in the past 3 months and reflect on her relationship with Riven. The maroon specialist had been acting weird ever since they had visited his mother and she was having trouble understanding why. A smile came to her face as she dropped her pen while thinking back to their visit.

"This place is so far." Riven had complained once they had finally reached the cemetery. Since she had flied all the way there, she had nothing to complain about, but he had been running after her, so he was tired. The flowers her father had given them were safely placed inside her purse after she used a miniaturizing spell.

"But we're here now." She had attempted to reason with him.

"Yeah, we are. This place's creepy." He had said and Musa had rolled her eyes.

"Come on." She had called him before walking ahead of him and he had followed her along the graves. It had taken them almost an hour to find his mother's grave, but at last they had arrived there. They had stared at the white grave filled with flowers where it read Elena Di Nola , 1978-2016. (Yep, I made up her name since it isn't said. For anyone who's interested, it was based on a character from the show Jane The Virgin)

"So... Is there something you want to say?" Musa had asked him and when he had looked at her, she had seen the tears threatening to fall.

"I don't know." He had said while his grip on the bouquet got tighter.

"How about you share something, a good memory?" She had suggested and he had given her a thankful smile.

"Okay. So,when I was 5 she took me to the park once. It was one of these rare moments when everything was calm and peaceful, that's why I loved the park. Usually I would go to the swings and she would sit down in the bench, watching over me. She thought that I didn't notice how sad she looked, but I did. So on that day, I asked her to come to the swings with me because I thought that maybe she could be happier if she had some fun.

She laughed before she accepted my request and she went to the swings by my side. It was the best afternoon I had the first time I didn't feel bad for her because she laughed and she had fun. Of course, I had no idea that she would leave in only a few days, but it was fun that day." He had finished telling the tale and a few tears had fallen. Musa had pretended not to notice it, knowing how he hated when people mentioned that he was crying. (PS here: since I don't know why his mother left him, let's pretend that it was because she had him too young and wasn't ready to be a mother. So she wanted him to have a chance at a better life with someone who would take good care of him, but since Riven was so connected to her, it ended up hurting him too much.)

"Oh, Riven. I had no idea." Musa had told him and he gave her a sad smile.

"You don't have to feel bad for me, Musa." He had told her after seeing the pitiful look on her face. "I've grown up and I'm happy now, I have you." She had smiled at him before taking his hand and squeezing it.

"And you'll always have me, that is, if you want to." She had told him lovingly and he didn't miss the hint behind her words.

"Of course I do. Now, shall we go visit your mom?" He had asked her, starting to feel uncomfortable and she had nodded.

"Okay. Let's leave the flowers here then." She had replied before they had left the sunflowers there and said their goodbyes. Later that night, after they had come home, Riven had found himself opening up even more to her and telling her more stories of his childhood. It had felt good to share his memories knowing that she wouldn't judge him and she would be by his side. Musa had been comprehensive and wonderful and his decision from earlier had been reinforced by her constant support.

Musa's thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door and she assumed that the Winx had come to see her. "Come in." She said softly before picking up her pen so that she at least appeared to have been working. The door opened and in came Timmy carrying a half asleep Tecna. "Oh, hey Timmy." Musa greeted the ginger specialist, who cast her a smile.

"Hey, Musa. How's your research going?" He good naturedly asked her and she sighed.

"Not so great. I have found pretty much nothing that can help us defeat the Trix or the Legendarium." She complained before Tecna spoke up, scaring them both.

"I'm sure you'll find something soon, Muse." The technology fairy yawned and Musa cast her a thankful smile.

"Thanks, Tec. Shouldn't you be at the infirmary now?" Tecna moved so that she could see her better before speaking.

"I was there, but I wanted to see how you were doing. Now, you can put me down, Timmy. I'm fine." She turned back to her boyfriend, who raised his eyebrows.

"You almost fell asleep on the ground ten minutes ago." He argued and Musa wasn't surprised because she had gotten used to it. After living in Alfea with the two of them for two weeks, she had quickly understood that Timmy had become the most protective and paranoid person ever and Tecna hated it because she was used to being independent. The two of them had argued a lot over that period of time, but at the end of the day they would always make up. Their love, as Musa would have expected, had gotten stronger ever since they found out about her illness.

There was also the fact that Tecna was pregnant, something Musa would never have guessed to occur so soon. If the fairy of music were to be asked which of her friends would get pregnant after Aisha, she would certainly have said Flora or Stella, maybe even Bloom. But not Tecna. Tecna was way too careful about her plans for the future, so getting pregnant before she had predicted was a surprise to them all.

Despite their early surprise, Tecna and Timmy seemed to be dealing well with the prospect of becoming parents. Due to her being sick, he already had some experience while taking care of her and he seemed to be joyful about it. Tecna didn't seem as happy as he was, but that was understandable considering she hadn't planned on getting pregnant yet. There was also the sickness factor, one that worried them a lot. The fairy of technology had voiced her fear of losing her child many times and while she sympathized with it, Musa knew that there was nothing that she could do. So she stood by her best friend's side, comforting her when needed and distracting her from her pain, but the feeling of helplessness was sometimes overwhelming.

"I can walk on my own, Timmy." Tecna fought back before she got out of his arms. However, after taking only one step, she started swaying and she would have fallen hard if he hadn't been there to hold her. "Or maybe not. Damn, I hate feeling dizzy."

"I know, Tec. Come on now." Timmy said before he gently led her to her bed, where she lay down with a sigh. "She's really tired, so she'll probably sleep for a while now." He told Musa before looking back at his (already) sleeping fiancée. He took off her shoes and placed her under the covers before kissing her forehead gently. "Can you keep an eye on her while I go to Zenith? I'll be back soon, I just have to schedule discuss some wedding plans with our parents." He turned back to Musa with a small smile at the thought of their wedding.

This was another surprise for the group, but after they found out about Tecna's illness, she and Timmy had decided to get married as soon as possible. It was understandable, considering they might not have much time left to be together, but it still surprised their friends. So the wedding planning had started, with Stella as the organizer, of course, and the happy couple's parents helping with the financials. They had decided to get married within 3 weeks since the day they told their friends, which put their wedding date on January 21st of 2017.

"Sure." Musa told him with a reassuring smile and he sent her a thankful one before leaving. "Let's get back to work then." She muttered to herself before sighing. A few minutes later, she found herself reading a spell for the 5th time as she tried to understand what it said. Knowing that what she was doing was important for everyone, she decided to check the dictionary once again to see if she could understand it. "Oh my god!" She was unable to hold herself once she finally understood what it said and there was a groan as Tecna was woke up.

"What the hell?" The technology fairy sleepily said as she sat up in bed and gave Musa a death glare.

"Sorry, Tec, I just got overexcited." The fairy of music apologized.

"So you've found something?" Tecna asked back and Musa nodded.

"Yep. This is huge, so come on, we have to tell the others." She excitedly said before she helped Tecna out of the bed and used a spell to change their clothes before they left the room and went to the auditorium, where the rest of the Winx was meeting.

Back with the Winx...

"I suppose that I should start by telling you how to lock the Legendarium." Eldora was telling the Aisha, Bloom and Stella as they had just arrived in Alfea.

It had been two weeks since they had resumed their mission to defeat the Trix and find a way to lock the Legendarium. The day after Krystal's party, Miss. Faragonda had called the Winx for an important meeting when she had reminded them of what had happened before they had left and the mission they had been on: to find Eldora.

It took the 5 fairies, since Flora had left with Helia, a few hours to get back to their mission and start looking again. Finding Eldora had to be postponed, unfortunately, due to the Trix's attack on more schools, including Solaria's Star. The attack there occurred so fast that no one saw them coming. Thankfully, King Radius and Luna called the Winx and they had gotten there just in time to stop the Trix.

After 10 days of attacks, the Winx finally had some peace for the Trix seemed to have gone quiet for a while. So Aisha, Bloom and Stella had gone searching for Eldora while Musa stayed at Alfea with Tecna. The 3 fairies had luck for they found out that the fairy godmother lived not only on Earth, but in Gardenia. They went there looking for her, but ended up falling into a trap from the Trix involving dangerous vampires that almost killed them and stole their powers. Stella was able to use her powers to send them away and they were fine, but by then they had wasted 2 days on Earth and there were no news on the fairy godmother.

The next day, they had finally found her in a beautiful cottage in the forests near Gardenia. An attack from the three witches followed their discovery, but thanks to Eldora, the Winx were able to defeat the horrible monsters that the Trix had sent their way. So they finally had some peace and they were invited for tea.

Bloom and Stella had taken their time telling Eldora everything while Aisha had gone desperately looking for Lana, who had disappeared during their fight. The baby girl of 5 months old had been brought with Aisha since Nabu was busy training. She had been left at Bloom's parents house, but Aisha had picked her up once they finally found out where Eldora was living.

While the Winx were fighting against the monsters, baby Lana had crawled around and it took Aisha 15 minutes to locate her near a big tree as the baby girl had stopped there and cried. The fairy of waves had been extremely worried and after she had found Lana, she had promised herself never to leave her by herself again. She realized it had been an extremely terrible idea and that she needed to put her daughter first.

Aisha had come back to the cottage just as the Winx had finished telling their tale and Eldora had just started to speak. At first, the three fairies were confused when the fairy godmother claimed to have never heard of Selina or Catherine, but soon they had realized that her memories had been erased. They had used a convergence to bring them back and Eldora had thanked them numerous times. She then explained everything to them.

She told them about the death of Selina's parents, about how she had taken the young girl with her, knowing of her magical powers, how she had taught Selina everything about magic, leaving out the part of the existence of the Magic Dimension. The Winx had questioned her about that and she told them it was her way to protect Selina, keep her on Earth where she was safe. She had told them about their discovery of the Legendarium, how she had sensed its dark magic and she had made a pact with Selina never to use it.

It took a while, but she reached the part that involved Catherine's connection to all of it. Eldora explained how the woman had come to her home, claiming to live far away and to be in search of someone. She told them about how she helped Catherine find what she seeked and about the imagine she saw o the Winx. The three fairies had told her about Catherine and Flora and she had been extremely surprised. The story ended with Selina fighting with her and then leaving with Catherine, to Cloud Tower, as Eldora had just found out. Once the truth was out, the fairy godmother had decided to accompany the Winx back to Alfea and help them in their search.

"That would be very helpful." Bloom told her sweetly as she stood near Aisha, who held sleeping Lana in her arms, and Stella, who was texting someone, probably Brandon.

"Well, locking the Legendarium will be no easy task. I guess first I should give you a quick explanation of what it truly is." Eldora replied in a serious tone and the three fairies were confused.

"What it really is?" Stella asked as she lifted her eyes away from her phone to look at her.

"It's not just a magical book that can bring life to fictional characters. No, it's actually a portal between two dimensions: ours and the one inside the book, where these characters are real." They looked at her with wide eyes and open mouths.

"That's actually not so surprising, we are familiar with books that work as portals between two worlds." Bloom said after a few seconds and the others nodded, remembering when Flora had told them something similar a few months ago.

"That's great. That means we can already take the next step: locking it." Eldora excitedly said, the Winx had noticed how she was a cheerful person and they enjoyed it. "Well, we're going to need a few objects that were once part of the Legendarium."

"I take it that you're going to tell us where to find them." Stella said hopefully and Eldora's face fell.

"Knowing where they are is not the problem, dear Stella. Though it was complicated, I was able to locate them in Tir Nan Og. It's where fairies' enchanted artifacts can be found on Earth. I traveled there and searched everywhere, but I was unable to find anything that could be helpful. It was pointless." The fairy godmother lowered her head and sighed deeply. The three fairies, however, were smiling.

"Tir Nan Og? We have friends there who can help us." Bloom said, remembering Morgana and Nebula. Since it had been two years since they had freed the Earth fairies, she assumed that they weren't there during Eldora's search.

"Really? That's splendid. Shall we get going then?"Was Eldora's excited reply. Before any of them could answer her, the door to the auditorium was opened and in came Musa, holding Catherine's notebook, and Tecna, holding onto her and looking half asleep.

"Hey girls." Musa greeted them with unusual excitement.

"Hey Musa. I take it that you've found something useful?" Aisha asked while trying to calm down an awake Lana, who started crying like it was the end of the world. The little girl kicked and moved as she showed her discontent at being woken up. Musa nodded in response to Aisha's question.

"Yep." Was her simple reply. "Sorry for waking her up, by the way."She added and Aisha gave her a smile that said 'no problem'.

"I need to...sit down." Tecna said weakly as she failed to stand up and Bloom came over to help Musa in sitting her. Once the technology fairy was safe and comfortable in a chair, the other fairies turned to Musa once again.

"So, what have you discovered?" Bloom asked her once again the door opened and Miss. Faragonda came in.

"Hello, girls." She greeted them warmly, as usual, before her gaze fell upon Eldora. "It's nice to see you again, old friend."

"Always great to see you, Faragonda." Eldora replied just as warmly and the two of them shared a quick hug.

"Miss. Faragonda, Eldora just told us something about locking the Legendarium." Bloom excitedly told the headmistress, who smiled.

"And what is it?" Eldora answered for the fairy of the dragon flame.

"Tir Nan Og. It's where we'll find objects that will help us." Was the fairy godmother's answer and Musa gasped.

"Tir Nan Og? You mean where the Earth fairies live?" She asked them and Bloom nodded.

"Exactly. Now didn't you have something to tell us, Musa?" She asked the music fairy and all eyes went back to her.

"Well, I've found something that isn't related to our mission, but it could save Tecna and her baby." She told them while looking at her best friend. Upon hearing her name, Tecna lifted her head from her almost sleeping position and looked at her hopefully.

"What is it?" She asked Musa and the fairy of music smiled.

"It's a spell here that Catherine named Accelerare la vita." Silence followed her statement as everyone awaited for her to translate. Bloom, being familiar with the language, had an idea what the spell did." According to her book, it can speed up a pregnancy, so that the child will be born before time."

"So that means..." Bloom started and Tecna finished.

"It could save my child from this illness that's consuming me." Aisha looked at them incredulously.

"So let me get this straight, this spell could accelerate one's pregnancy?" She asked them and Musa nodded.

"I have heard of this spell before, though I've never heard of anyone actually using it." Miss. Faragonda told them and they shared defeated sights.

"But we should try it anyways. If it could save Tecna's child, we have to do our best to perform it." Bloom said firmly and Musa and Stella nodded.

"Bloom's right, we have to do everything we can to save her." Musa added determinately and Miss. Faragonda smiled at them.

"Then you should try it, girls. Here, I'll give you a copy of the spell in english so that it will be easier to perform it." The headmistress said before she used her magic to make a piece of paper appear. It was a book page that she handed over to Bloom and it contained the spell they had just seen, but more elaborated.

"Thanks, Miss. Faragonda. We should get going to Tir Nan Og now, we can do it there." The fairy of the dragon flame told them and Musa and Stella helped Tecna stand up so that they could go.

"Oh, before you go, girls, I almost forgot. Only a fairy of nature can perform this spell." The headmistress added and they were left stunned and confused.

"Why?" Musa asked curiously.

"Because they have a deeper connection to life than any of us, therefore if someone should be able to accelerate the process of life, it should be them." Was Faragonda's response and Bloom smiled.

"Then I'll call Flora, ask her to meet us there." She said and Musa was quick to add.

"And Timmy too. He should be there for this." Bloom nodded before picking up her phone. First she sent a quick text to Timmy, explaining everything, before she called the fairy of nature. A part of her felt bad knowing that Flora wished to be left in peace, away from their missions, but Bloom knew that she would understand that this was an urgency.

With Flora...

"This is a disaster." The fairy of nature said desperately while she stared at the burnt dish in the kitchen table. It had been two weeks since she and Helia had come to Musa's lake house so that they could have some time alone to heal and move on from the hard situation they had faced for the past 3 months.

Their time spent there turned out to be great and they actually had a lot of fun. They had spent most of their days swimming or exploring the nearby forest. It felt like they had never been apart, like their relationship hadn't been stalled for 3 months while she was married to someone else. With each peaceful day, Flora was able to move on from her troubled past and make peace with the discoveries she had made regarding her family.

Of course, she was having trouble wrapping her mind around all the murders that were included and the people she had lost or hadn't even met. However, with Helia by her side, it was easier. He was her solid rock, the one who was always there for her and who knew exactly how to make her feel better. She worried sometimes that she was relying too much on him when he had gone through something awful himself, something that was partially her fault.

Everytime she asked him if he was okay he would answer with the simple truth: as long as she was there, by his side, he would be. It was cheesy and illogical, but that's how he felt. After losing her, the only thing he needed to heal was proof that she was okay, that she was alive. So he had been extra protective of her and she didn't mind since the company was good.

"I'm sorry." He told her as he too stared at the burnt pie. Flora had decided to make it earlier that day as an afternoon snack and she had gotten the recipe from her father before they left Limphea. It was his famous apple pie that the couple had tasted during their dinner weeks ago and Helia had loved it.

"You better be, this is your fault." Her tone indicated that she was joking so he simply rolled his eyes before giving her a smirk.

"You're the one that's distracted way too easily." He argued and she blushed.

"I am not." She complained before pouting and he laughed.

"Sure you are." He replied before he brought her closer by the waist. Ignoring her glare, he kissed her passionately before moving his lips down her neck. She sighed. "See? Totally distracted." He pulled back and smirked.

"Huh, when did you learn to play dirty?" She asked him after another glare and he laughed once again.

"So now kissing you is playing dirty?" He asked with raised eyebrows.

"It is when you do it just to distract me." She said firmly before pushing him back a bit so that she could cross her arms over her chest. "But I must admit, I like this new Helia." She added and he smiled.

"Do you now?" He asked a bit unsurely and she nodded.

"Of course. You've never been so passionate and bold. Or incredibly sexy." She said with a smirk of her own as it was his turn to blush. She leaned in for another heated kiss and he easily complied, hands wrapped tightly around her waist.

And it was true, Helia had indeed become more bold and passionate because losing her had that effect on him. Knowing that life is short and that your days are counted made him more willing to live his life the fullest and appreciate his gifts more. So he had become even more romantic, making picnics for her, bringing breakfast in bed, bringing her flowers. Part of her worried about his mental state, though she knew she wasn't in a much better one.

Nightmares haunted them both almost every night and there were days when it affected them more, while others the effects of said nightmares weren't so strong. Hers included scenes with Will's death, her mother's suicide and what she imagined her family's death to be. Strangers she hadn't known until 2 weeks ago called for her, her parents sometimes did too. It was horrible and she woke up from those dreams shaking and sweating.

Thankfully, Helia was there to comfort her, mostly because he was usually awoken before her due to his own nightmares. Memories of her death haunted him every night and he would sometimes search the bed in his sleep for her. Most nights they cuddled, wanting to be as close to each other as possible. Waking up and seeing her there, safe and sound, it's what helped his usually fast beating heart calm down and he would be able to breathe. It was good for the both of them, being together.

A part of her missed her parents, but she knew that seeing them might not be the best idea. She needed to move on, needed to find forgiveness for them and all the mistakes they made, ones that had hurt her more than they could possibly imagine. An arranged marriage that left her feeling guilty all the time, that had tore her apart from her lover.

James was still a complicated subject and both Flora and Helia preferred not to discuss it anymore than they had already done. So he pretended that she had always been his, that no one else had kissed her or touched her. He pushed away the memories of their conversation after the first time that she had slept with James. It wasn't healthy and probably not the best idea, but it was all they could do so that he wouldn't go insane.

There was also Will, who became a regular topic in their conversations. Unlike James, Helia wanted to know more about him and Flora gladly provided him with fun memories of her childhood or teenage years. It was clear as day just how much she had cared about him and how important he had been. Will had been her best friend, someone she could always count on and he had taught her so much. Because of that, Helia was extremely grateful for the blonde man and wished more than anything that he wasn't gone, that Flora could have someone like him in her life. She deserved it.

"How about we make a recipe of my own now?" Helia asked after they pulled apart, a smile on his face and she raised her eyebrows.

"What's on your mind?" She asked while feigning curiosity, for she already knew what was on his mind.

"How about brigadeiros? It's easy and delicious!" He excitedly told her and she laughed while watching him jump like a child. (PS ABOUT BRIGADEIRO: it's a brazilian sweet made with condensed milk and powdered chocolate. It kinda tastes like nutella, but sweeter. It's amazing and I hate how it doesn't exist in Europe)

"Okay, mister. But you're going to have to make it, cause I'm exhausted after making that pie." She replied and he looked even more excited.

"Yeees!" He screamed while jumping up and down and she laughed even more. The sound of their favorite song, 'She Will Be Loved' (by Maroon 5) startled them. Flora turned her back on him so that she could pick up her phone in the counter.

"It's Bloom." She said while looking at the color ID. Helia came over to her so that he could look at it over her shoulder.

"Must be urgent." He commented and she pressed the button to accept the call. Soon an image appeared featuring all the Winx, Eldora, Roxy and Miss. Faragonda.

"Hey, guys, look I can't explain much now, but I need you to meet us at the palace of Tir Nan Og." Bloom said quickly and urgently and Flora was surprised.

"Tir Nan Og?" The fairy of nature asked her and Bloom nodded.

"Yes. It has to do with Tecna." She added and Flora got worried.

"We'll be there in 10." She told Bloom before ending the call.

"Guess we'll be going to Tir Nan Og." Helia said and she gave him a look.

"You don't have to come, you know." She told him gently and he raised his eyebrows.

"Come on, do you really think that you'll be able to convince me to stay here?" He asked her and she sighed.

"No. Let's get changed, we can't go there like this." She mentioned to her green bikini and his black swim trunks.

"Guess brigadeiro will have to be left for later." He said sadly and it was her turn to raise her eyebrows before she used her magic to change herself into a green dress and him into green shorts with a dark blue shirt. After that, they shared one last kiss before disappearing.

So, did you enjoy the Muri and TXT scenes? Did you think that the spedding pregnancy plot was believable? If not, just check out Once Upon a Time. They do the exact same thing, twice. I thought it was the best thing to do with Tecna's pregnancy. So, be prepared for a new baby!

What about FloraXHelia scenes? Did you like that they were mostly romance and cuteness? That's what we'll have for them in the rest of the story. Although there will be two chapters about a few episodes where things aren't so great between them. I think you can guess what those will be.

And what did you think of Eldora?


	29. Fighting for our lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At Tir Nan Og, the winx reunite with old friends from years before. While Bloom, Stella and Eldora follow Nebula, Musa is in charge of taking Flora to Tecna so that she can perform the spell. With the Trix showing up, as usual, and Darcy having a plan to take Flora and Tecna now, will everyone manage to come out of this fight alive?

And here we have another one! 

Flora and Helia arrived in the giant castle of Tir Nan Og just a few minutes before the Winx plus Eldora. The nature loving couple awaited for their arrival in the gardens, where they were soon greeted by Roxy and her parents.

"Hey you two." The young girl greeted them before they shared hugs.

"Morgana, it's lovely to see you again." Flora warmly greeted the former fairy queen, who had a smile on her face as she looked at the young couple. Rick stood right behind her as both had their hands on her enlarged stomach.

"I was starting to think I'd never see any of you Winx again, it's been a while." Morgana replied just as warmly and before anything else could be said, there was a bright light that soon faded away to reveal Musa, Bloom, Stella, Eldora and Tecna, who was being held by the first two.

"Ah, Morgana!" Bloom excitedly said and the fairy queen's smile enlarged upon seeing the whole group.

"It's wonderful to see you again, Winx." She greeted them before her face fell into confusion. "Might I ask, where is Aisha?" She asked them and Bloom was quick to put her worries away.

"She stayed in Alfea with little Lana, we thought it was best." The fairy of the dragon flame answered and Morgana nodded.

"Of course, I understand." She replied.

"So, shall we enter the palace?" Eldora said afterwards and she was given confused looks from the fairy of animals and her parents.

"Ah, we almost forgot, this is Eldora. She's helping us with our newest mission to stop the Trix." Stella explained quickly and the former fairy queen nodded one again before everyone followed her into the palace.

"Where's Daphne?"Flora quietly asked Bloom as they walked and the fairy of the dragon flame smiled before answering.

"She and Thoren have gone on a trip for the weekend. Don't ask me where, she mentioned she didn't even know herself, it's a surprise." Flora laughed after the fairy of the dragon flame's response.

"Sounds lovely. I didn't know Thoren was the romantic kind." The nature fairy replied while casting a look towards her own boyfriend, who was pretty much carrying Tecna towards the palace as she had felt dizzy.

"Neither did I, but he sure has shown a new side over the past few months. I guess he spent too much time with Helia back in France." Bloom replied and she didn't miss the way Flora flinched at her words. "Hey, is everything okay between you two? I mean, after everything you went through, it wouldn't come as a surprise if you guys were having trouble." She added gently and curiously.

"In general, we're doing fine, we're closer than ever. The problem is the nightmares. They don't leave us alone. " Flora answered with a bittersweet smile.

"That's understandable. Sky and I have been through a lot of heartache and every time the nightmares would stay with us. I can't tell you that it will just go away, but it gets better with time." Was Bloom's honest and reassuring reply.

"Thanks for the advice, Bloom. We'll try to think that way whenever the past comes to haunt us." Flora thanked her before they hugged tightly. By then, they had already reached the entrance of the castle, where they were met by Nebula and her warrior fairies.

"Winx, what a wonderful surprise. It is such an honor to see you again." The blue haired fairy greeted them with a bright smile.

"We can say the same, Nebula." Bloom told her warmly and the two hugged. Each of them, except for Tecna, who was feeling extremely ill, had their turn hugging the current fairy queen.

"I love that you turned the castle into a school for fairies, what a great idea!" Stella told Nebula excitedly while she looked around.

"You were the ones that gave me the idea, actually. I want every fairy that studies here to spread the same mission of hope and happiness through all of Earth." The fairy queen replied with a bright smile and the Winx returned proud ones.

"That's amazing to hear." Musa replied and there was the sound of coughing, making everyone stare at Tecna with worry.

"I'm alright, guys. Some water would be nice." The fairy of technology said after the coughing stopped.

"Nebula, could one of your fairies lead Tecna to her room right away?" Bloom asked Nebula, who nodded.

"Of course. Raven, will you escort her, please?" Nebula said before turning to a brunette fairy who looked about 18 years old.

"I'll be coming too, though I still don't know what I'm supposed to do here." Flora said next and the Winx shared a look as they recalled that they hadn't told her about the spell Musa had discovered.

"I'll explain it to you before I meet the Winx, then." The fairy of music suggested and after receiving a nod from Bloom, she left with the nature loving couple and Tecna. They walked along the corridors while following Raven.

With Flora, Helia, Tecna and Musa...

"So, how's your trip going, you two?" Musa curiously asked Flora and Helia and both smiled.

"It's great, we needed some time to relax." The nature fairy replied and Musa smiled upon hearing her happiness.

"Definitely. Though I'm not so sure if someone understands the meaning of relaxing." Helia teased lightly and the brunette glared at him.

"How so?" Musa asked while laughing at the couple's interaction, glad to see that they seemed to be back to what they used to be.

"She totally freaked out because we accidentally burnt the pie today. You had to see it, Musa, she was so mad at me for no reason." The blue haired specialist told Musa with a smirk and Flora's glare turned into an incredulous expression.

"Hey, that was my father's special pie!" She argued while crossing her arms. "And besides, it was your fault that it was burnt, you distracted me on purpose." She told Helia, who had been laughing like crazy.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry." He said after she glared at him again and he cast her the most charming smile." Have I ever mentioned that I love you?" He joked next and her expression softened, unable to stay angry when he was being so adorable.

"I love you too, mr. clever." She replied and they would have kissed if it weren't for another cough coming from the technology fairy.

"Sorry." Tecna said quietly and they cast her even more worried looks.

"Are you sure that you're alright, Tec? You seem to be doing worse today. Maybe we shouldn't perform the spell right now." Musa told her with concern and Tecna shook her head violently, causing her to have another coughing fit.

"No, we have to do it now. My child's life is depending on this spell." Was her passionate and determined reply.

"What kind of spell are we talking about here?" Flora curiously asked Musa and her reply was interrupted by Raven telling them that they had arrived in Tecna's room. So they thanked her before entering the small room painted in purple with a medium sized bed where Helia gently placed Tecna. She thanked him before getting comfortable in the pillows and letting out a deep sigh.

"So, now that she's settled, I'd better start on the explanations. The spell we've mentioned before was found in your mother's book." Musa started explaining to the nature loving couple after Tecna was settled. "It's supposed to accelerate her pregnancy, bringing it to the end, so her child should be born today. Miss. Faragonda told us that only a fairy of nature could perform it and that it takes a lot of energy. It's a risky choice, but it would benefit both Tecna and her child, so we decided to give it a try."

"Of course, anything that can help them should be tried. And this will not only save that baby's life, but it should improve Tecna's condition since she won't have to support two lives at once." Flora replied after Musa finished and the fairy of music nodded with a hopeful smile.

"Let's just hope it works." She told the nature fairy with concern while casting a glance towards Tecna.

"Do you have the spell with you?" Flora asked her and Musa nodded once again before picking it from her pocket.

"Of course. This is the one Miss. Faragonda gave us, she thought it'd be better than using Catherine's." She handed the paper to Flora, who examined it carefully. There was silence for a few minutes as the nature fairy carefully read the instructions.

"Okay, I think that I can do this." She broke the silence and lifted her head to stare determinately into her best friend's eyes.

"Of course you can." Helia encouraged her with a reassuring smile and she sent him a thankful one.

"So, I should get going, see how the other's mission is going." Musa told them both and they nodded. The fairy of music walked towards the bed where Tecna had been silently resting and she gave her best friend a hug. "Get better, Tec. I'll be back soon."

"I'll be fine, Musa. Thanks." Was Tecna's weak reply and they shared a quick hug before Musa walked out.

"This spell will require a lot of energy, so I'll go to the forest for a while, see if nature can help. Can you watch over Tecna?" Flora said while looking at Helia, who had taken a seat besides Tecna. He gave her another reassuring smile, though his reply was interrupted by the technology fairy.

"There's no need to watch over me now, guys. I'll probably sleep for a while, so you can go together."They looked at her with widened eyes and incredulous expressions.

"You're insane if you think that we'd leave you alone now." Flora told her in disbelief and Tecna seemed like she wanted to argue, but the sound of the door opening made everyone stare at the newly arrived guest.

"Timmy!" Tecna's face lightened up and the ginger specialist sighed in relief once he realized that she was alright.

"Tecna! I'm so glad that you seem to be okay!" He ran to her side and embraced her tightly while her own arms wrapped around him. "Bloom's message seemed so urgent, I was worried sick." He looked at Flora and Helia while saying this.

"Don't worry, Timmy. Things are fine, actually, more than fine. Musa has found a way to save your child." Flora told him excitedly and his eyes widened.

"She did? How?" He questioned curiously and Helia answered that one.

"With a very powerful spell that Flora will perform later. First she needs to store more energy." Timmy looked at them confusingly.

"What spell? Is it one that she found in Catherine's book?" He asked them and they weren't surprised at how quickly he caught on since they were used to the geniousness of the ginger specialist.

"Exactly. It will accelerate Tecna's pregnancy, so the baby will be born today." Flora told him cautiously and his eyes went wide.

"Today? But we're not ready for that, no. There's so much to do, so much to prepare." He started freaking out and the nature loving couple watched him with amusement while Tecna smiled at her fiancée.

"Calm down, Timmy. We'll figure it out. What matters most is that she'll be safe." She told him and he stopped yelling for a second.

"You mean he." He gave her a sly smile and Tecna rolled her eyes.

"So you think it's a boy?" Flora asked him and he smiled.

"I'm not 100% sure, but my instincts tell me so." Timmy replied and Tecna smirked.

"Then your instincts are wrong, because I am 100% sure it's a girl." She told him and instead of arguing, he let out a defeated sigh.

"I don't really care as long as it's safe." He confessed and Tecna's smile enlarged.

"Neither do I, but it's fun arguing with you." She replied and Timmy walked over to her bed and sat by her side. They kissed before she took his hand and placed it above hers on top of her stomach. "This is what matters most. I know that we're not ready, we haven't prepared at all, but we'll be able to do this, together." She told him determinately while the nature loving couple watched them with smiles.

"I feel the same, Tecna. But I need to know that you'll be here with me, because I can't do this alone." He told her urgently and she cupped his cheek.

"I promise you that I'll try my best to fight my way through, I'll be strong and brave just like you've been these past few weeks. You've been my rock and I wanted to thank you for being there for me." She confessed heartfully and he cast her a warm and loving smile.

"You don't have to thank me. I love you and I'd do anything for you and our child."Was Timmy's confession and Flora couldn't stop herself from letting out a deep sigh.

"Sorry, but you guys are being so deep and loving today." She told them and her tone let it clear that it came as a surprise. It's not as if they were never deep and loving, but over the years everyone had gotten used to Tecna and Timmy being more reserved, preferring to show their love in private.

"I think it's great if any of us ever doubted that you two loved each other, it's clear now." Helia added with a smile just as bright as his girlfriend's.

"I guess this illness might not be just a curse, since it's brought us closer together." Tecna mused before falling into another coughing fit.

"We'd better hurry. I'll go to the forest and I should be back in about 10 minutes." Flora said urgently upon seeing her friend looking worse than before and Timmy nodded.

"Go! I'll stay with her." He told them and the young couple nodded before they left the room.

With Flora and Helia...

They walked in silence until they reached the gardens that lead to the forest surrounding Tir Nan Og. They followed a trail that led them to a small lake where many flamingos rested. It was peaceful and silent, precisely what Flora needed to be able to focus on recharging.

"This is perfect." She mused once they were seated by a big tree.

"It's certainly beautiful. Maybe we should consider it as another vacation spot." Helia suggested and she smiled at him.

"Maybe. Now, I'll connect with mother nature, but I'll need total silence so that I can concentrate." She told him seriously and he nodded in understanding before falling quiet. She closed her eyes and soon she was surrounded by a green light, the whole place was surrounded by it. It was a beautiful sight that Helia never wanted to forget, so he took a picture. For a few minutes there was only peace and quiet as Flora concentrated, but soon there was the sound of yelling and she broke out of her reverie.

"It's the Trix." Helia told her worriedly, having seen the three witches fly over the island while Flora was connecting to nature.

"Of course they have to be here." She complained. "We should get back, we need to be there to protect Tecna." She added before standing up and he followed her.

"Do you think that you have enough energy to perform the spell?" He asked her curiously and she nodded.

"More than enough. I believe that you should go help the Winx while I take care of Tecna." She told him and he looked like he wanted to argue, so she continued. "I'll be fine, Helia. They need you more than I do. Please, trust me to take care of myself now. Tecna needs me, so I don't have time to argue with you."

"I guess it's no use in arguing. I just can't stand the thought of leaving you." He told her after letting out a defeated sigh. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Hey, I'll be okay. And I won't be alone, Timmy will be there to protect both of us in case the Trix attack. I promise you that I'll be careful." She knew that this was what he needed to hear.

"Okay, then. I love you." He declared, looking less worried now that she had reassured him.

"I love you too, my hero." She told him and they shared a passionate kiss before parting ways. She walked back the trail they had come through and he used his cellphone to guide him towards the entrance of the palace, where there would be someone to tell him about the Winx's current location.

With the Winx...

"I believe these might be what you're looking for." Nebula said once the Winx followed her into a small, dark room where there was a huge mirror in which six colorful objects were placed.

"Are those what I think they are?" Eldora asked her excitedly and Nebula nodded.

"Indeed. These magics wands were brought to our world by 7 ancient fairies who resided in the Legendarium World. They left the wands here after deciding to remain in our dimension, as a way for them to return in case they desired. The wands contain the mythix power, allowing their holder to go into the Legendarium World."

"So there were once fairies inside the Legendarium?" Musa asked curiously, all of the Winx had their eyes widened with this new piece of information.

"Of course. They used the book as a portal so that they could travel through all of the worlds of the Magic Dimension, including the Earth." The fairy queen explained.

"Amazing." Bloom said as she walked towards the mirror. Once she was right in front of it, one of her hands touched a heart shaped wand that seemed to be calling for her.

"So, may we take the wands?" Stella asked as she walked towards a starshaped one.

"I'm afraid not, the legend says that only after a fairy has proven herself to the wand may she become its older." Nebula told them sorrowfully.

"We've battled every evil creature that threatened to take over the Magic Dimension, I think we've proven something." Musa said impatiently and Bloom had a thoughtful look on her face.

"You're the keeper of the wands, right? Can't you just give them to us?" The fairy of the dragon flame asked Nebula hopefully, but she was left disappointed.

"No, I'm sorry. I don't own the wands, it's as if they have a life of their own." The fairy queen explained.

"So, what can we do to prove ourselves?" Bloom asked no one in particular. Suddenly, there was a loud crash and the Winx jumped, on high alert.

"What the hell was that?" Musa asked and her answer came in the sound of familiar evil laughter.

"The Trix!" Bloom yelled angrily and the fairy of music sighed.

"Why can't they ever leave us alone?" She questioned desperately and angrily.

"Like that would ever happen." Stella complained with a roll of the eyes. There was another crash and the ground shook a little.

"Girls, we'd better transform. This is serious." Bloom commanded and the other two fairies nodded before they got together to transform. A few seconds later they left the room already in their fairy forms, followed by Eldora and Nebula. Finding the three witches wasn't too hard since Musa tracked down their voices to the entrance of the school. Upon arriving there, they were met with the unexpected sight of Helia, who was fighting the three witches all on his own.

While he was trying to keep Darcy and Stormy at bay, Icy went behind him and sent a powerful spell his way. Luckily, the Winx arrived just then and Bloom quickly used her magic to make a shield. The spell hit the shield with a loud sound before turning back and almost hitting Musa, who was in front of the group. Helia turned back to look at them and he cast them a thankful smile before running to join them before the three witches could do more harm to him.

"Are you okay?" Musa asked worriedly once he joined them and he nodded.

"Yes, I just arrived here a few minutes ago." He answered breathlessly, a reassuring smile on his face.

"Where's Flora?" Bloom asked, just as worried as Musa.

"She went back to Tecna's room, ready to perform the spell." He replied, smile fading.

"Would you like to join her? We can take thing here." Bloom told him gently and she was surprised when he shook his head.

"I'm worried about her, but I have to trust that she can handle this herself." Helia confessed and the three fairies gave him reassuring smiles.

"You shouldn't worry too much, Helia. Flora's a brave and powerful fairy, she'll be fine." Stella told him, though she sounded unsure of her words.

"I'm more worried about Tecna, I hope she pulls through." Musa piped in and everyone started getting worried while thinking of the ill technology fairy.

They were so lost in their own conversation that they forgot about the three witches who watched them curiously. They could have attacked them, catching them off guard, but the words spoken by the three fairies and the specialist were very interesting. As they listened in on their conversation, a new plan came to the Trix.

"Sisters, did you listen to what they said?" Icy whispered to her sisters, not wanting the group to hear her.

"I don't get why we're not attacking them, this is the perfect opportunity!" Stormy complained impatiently and Darcy smirked.

"They're so oblivious to the fact that we're here that they're slipping great informations." She said, catching onto Icy's idea.

"Oh, yes, they are. Did you hear what they said about the nature fairy?" The ice witch asked them and Darcy nodded while Stormy remained looking impatient.

"We should stop her from performing whatever spell they were talking about, it must have to do with us." The witch of illusions said urgently.

"Why are you two so worried about Flora? She's a weak link, she ain't that powerful." The witch of storms complained and her two sister shook their heads.

"We should never underestimate the enemy, Stormy. Besides, with how happy they sounded, this spell ought to be no good." Darcy said cautiously and Icy looked thoughtful.

"So, we need to create a distraction so that one of us can figure out where she's hiding and stop her." Darcy smirked once again, an idea forming.

"How about we do this the easy way." She suggested and both sisters looked at her confusingly and curiously.

"What's on your mind, Darcy?" Icy asked interestingly.

"I'll use my illusion spell to create a double of myself. That way they won't even suspect that I'm gone, so you won't have to cause a distraction. It's the perfect plan." Darcy explained and all three sisters were grinning by the end.

"Brilliant. We'll hold them off in the meantime." Icy told her and she nodded before using her magic to create her double. The Winx were still busy in their conversation and didn't suspect a thing, so Darcy used an invisibility spell so that no one would spot her leaving. As soon as she was gone, the three fairies suddenly remembered about the unwanted guests.

"Hey, guys, we're completely forgetting about the Trix." Musa told her friends worriedly as they were discussing Tecna's illness.

"Oh god, how could we?" Stella said and she looked around with widened eyes. Once everyone spotted the three witches calmly standing mid air and watching them with amused expressions on their faces, they were confused.

"Why haven't they attacked us?" Bloom asked and the witches laughed before Icy sent an attack their way that almost hit Musa.

"Thanks for the reminder, Bloom. Now, you fairies better get ready for the fight of your lives." The ice witch told them with a vicious smile and the Winx stood in position, ready to attack.

Back with Tecna and Timmy...

Since Tecna found herself unable to go back to sleep, they decided to cuddle. Timmy wrapped his arms around her tightly, though not to the point of hurting her, and he played with her short pink hair. There was only silence between them as they were both lost in thought.

"You know, we'd better enjoy the silence cause soon we will have no more of it." Tecna commented after a few minutes, breaking the silence.

"That's right. I wonder how long it will take for us to get used to all the noise." Timmy mused and her hands were unconsciously placed on her stomach.

"We'll probably hate it at first, but we'll have to deal with it, for our child's sake. There are many things that we'll have to get used to for her sake." Tecna replied before she sighed. There was a smile on his face once he spoke next.

"Like our video game sessions. Do you think that you'll be able to live without those?" He asked her and she pouted.

"Only if I manage to reach level 42. I've been trying to for weeks now." She complained and he laughed.

"You could have asked for my help, you know I'm an expert at that game." He told her and she smiled at him.

"You know that I would never do that, Timmy. I like getting things done myself. That's why I've been so difficult these past few weeks." He sighed, not enjoying the serious direction that they conversation was headed, but knowing that they needed to discuss it before the baby came.

"I know. I'm 80% sure that you want to apologize, but don't. You're sick, Tecna, as much as I wish it wasn't true. And that means it's okay for you to be unreasonable and difficult, because you're suffering." There were tears in her eyes when she heard his kind words and she pulled him in for a heated kiss.

"I love you, so much. Thanks for being so understanding, you're wonderful." She told him lovingly after they pulled apart and he smiled at her. The sudden sound of the door opening made them jump, but they easily calmed down when they realized it was only Flora, followed by an unknown person.

"Hey, guys. Sorry if I startled you." The sweet nature fairy apologized to them and they cast her smiles.

"No, it's alright." Tecna reassured her and Timmy looked curiously at the woman standing behind Flora.

"Is she a doctor?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Yes, this is Dr. Allison Cameron. (anyone recognize?) She's the head nurse here at Tir Nan Og and Nebula sent her to help us with the... birthing process." Flora explained to them and Dr. Cameron smiled reassuringly at the couple.

"I can reassure you to that I'll do everything I can to make sure that Tecna is as comfortable as possible during the procedure." She told the young couple, who stared at her suspiciously.

"So, should we get started?" Flora broke the awkward silence that followed Allison's words.

"Have you gathered enough energy to perform this spell?" Timmy asked the nature fairy and she nodded. "Okay, then. Let's get started." He added, looking uncomfortable. For the next few minutes Dr. Cameron helped Tecna stay comfortable in the bed while preparing her. She used an anti-pain spell to make sure that the technology fairy wouldn't suffer and then Tecna was ready. In the meantime, Flora had been rehearsing the spell she would have to perform quietly in the corner.

"We're ready." Dr. Cameron called for her and Flora nodded before she walked to Tecna's side. Timmy had taken comfort in a chair on her other side and he stared silently as the nature fairy closed her eyes and focused. Soon she was glowing bright green and so did Tecna. She whispered a few words and Tecna's stomach began growing. The technology fairy and her fiancée stared at it wide eyed, Timmy looking like he was going to faint.

"This is so crazy."Tecna commented and she placed one of her hands on her ever growing stomach. Thanks to Allison's spell, she felt no pain, but there was a certain discomfort.

"Incredible." Timmy added, looking sick but also amazed. Soon the green light that had enveloped Tecna and Flora disappeared and the nature fairy fell to the ground, exhausted.

"Flora?" Tecna asked her worriedly and she looked back at them with a reassuring smile.

"I'm okay. Just tired, this sure took a lot of energy." She told them before she used all of her strength to stand up and she walked towards the bed.

"Are you ready to do this, Tecna?" Dr. Cameron asked once Flora sat down by Tecna's side with a deep sigh and the technology fairy looked at her with fear.

"I...I'm not sure." She said unsurely and Timmy held her hand and gave her a smile.

"You can do this, Tec. For our baby." His words had their purposed effect and Tecna's unsure expression turned into a determined one. The doctor instructed her to take deep breaths before she started pushing and she did as told. After giving one push her forehead was already covered in sweat and she felt sicker than ever. Everything inside her told her to stop it, that she couldn't do this, but she ignored it.

"Look what we have here." There was an evil laugh after the door was pushed open as Darcy came into the room.

"You've got to be kidding me." Flora muttered breathlessly from where she sat.

"Darcy! What the hell are you doing here?" Tecna asked weakly and angrily and the witch smirked.

"I came to visit you, I heard that Miss. nature here was performing some powerful spell, though that doesn't seem to be true." She told them and Flora knew that she needed to protect Tecna, so she stood up and ran so that she was in front of the bed.

"There's nothing for you here, so go!" The nature fairy commanded while giving her a glare and Darcy only smirked.

"Nah, I don't think so. This is my perfect opportunity to get rid of you once and for all." She said while preparing to send a spell their way. Flora was quick to put up a barrier around Tecna and Timmy while the ginger specialist took out his gun and stood up as well.

"Keep pushing, Tecna. We're almost there." Dr. Cameron told the technology fairy determinedly, though her voice shook a little.

"I can't. I can't." Tecna said, more afraid than ever as she watched as Darcy sent a spell towards her. It hit the barrier Flora had created and fell into the wall.

"Timmy, help Tecna." Flora commanded as she attacked Darcy with her vines. The ginger specialist looked unsure as he stared between Darcy and his fiancée. "GO!" The nature fairy yelled as the witch of illusions was able to destroy the vines and break free. Timmy let go of his gun and kneeled by Tecna's side, taking her hands in his and giving her a reassuring look.

"You can do this, Tecna!" He told her and she screamed as she pushed once again. With each push she could feel herself getting weaker, but she ignored the feeling of exhaustion and kept going. Flora felt the same as she tried to hold off Darcy, she didn't have much energy left, so it was twice as hard. But she kept going, they both kept going and soon there was the sound of crying as Dr. Cameron held in her arms a small child.

"I...did it." Tecna whispered weakly and Timmy gave her a proud smile.

"I knew you would, you're so strong." He told her and she smiled weakly at him.

"Do you want to hold her?" Allison asked them both as she walked their way while holding their child, already cleaned and covered by a purple blanket.

"Told you." Tecna whispered to Timmy before nodding her head weakly and the baby was placed in her arms. She and Timmy stared at their creation in amazement as teal eyes looked back at them curiously and a small pink head of her swirled in the wind.

For a second there was only silence as the happy couple stared at her and Flora did too, distracting herself from the witch of illusions. It was a big mistake for Darcy wouldn't give them a moment of peace and she sent a powerful spell Flora's way. It was pure luck that she was able to see it coming and form a shield. However, this spell was different than the others, it was stronger and instead of hitting the shield, it absorbed it and also all of the energy she had left. Flora fell to the ground, unconscious and the barrier around Tecna and Timmy was undone. The technology couple was too distracted watching their amazing baby girl to prevent what would happen next.

"Waves of..." Darcy started a spell that was sure to kill them all when all of sudden she widened her eyes and gasped before falling to the ground, even more unconscious than Flora. Upon hearing her gasp, Tecna and Timmy finally lifted their heads and they looked stunned at the fallen witch before their eyes settled on the person behind her.

"Helia?" Timmy asked and the blue haired specialist who held his usual strings nodded.

"I came as soon as we figured out that Darcy was no longer there. We knew that she had come after Flora and you." He quickly explained before rushing to Flora's side. He picked her up and put a hand on her wrist, sighing in relief when he realized that she was still breathing.

"Thank goodness." He whispered and, upon seeing that Flora was alright, Timmy's attention went back to Tecna. The fairy of technology was now paler than ever and her arms were barely able to hold her daughter.

"Tecna?" He asked her worriedly and she said nothing as she had another coughing fit. Dr. Cameron was quick to pick up the baby girl while Timmy patted her back. Soon her coughs turned into gasps for breath and his worried grew. "Something's not right." He said, but it was too late already. After another gasp, Tecna fell back into the bed, unmoving.

"This is all too familiar. " Helia said from his spot on the ground as he held Flora in his arms. Timmy was concerned by the mad look in the specialist's eyes."Not again. Flora! Wake up, please!" Helia started sobbing and screaming and the ginger specialist wanted to reassure him that she was alright, but his mind was focused on his own fiancéee, who clearly wasn't.

"Tecna? Oh, god, this couldn't be any worse!" He screamed in despair as he tried to wake her up. But it could get worse and it did. The baby girl in Dr. Cameron's arms, almost as if sensing what was happening to her mother, started crying like the world was ending and nothing the gentle doctor did managed to calm her down. Timmy's attention was divided between the two most important girls in his life as his desperation grew, and Helia was no help with his uncontrollable sobbing and mumbling. It was this disastrous and heartbreaking scene that the Winx would meet in just a few minutes.

What are your thoughts? Did you enjoy the FloraX Helia and Tecna X Timmy scenes? What's gonna happen now that baby girl is here while Tecna's clearly not alright? What will happen to Flora and Helia? And what will Tecna's fate be?

Also, did you enjoy the mythix scenes? It was necessary since I'm planning on doing later episodes where the mythix wands will appear.


	30. Some fall down, some rise up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A week after the birth of Texna and Timmy's little girl, the Winx go on yet another mission. This time, however, their chances of success are minimized by Flora and Helia's cold treatment after a big fight and Musa's distraction as she wonders if her relationship with Riven's worth it.  
> With Aisha gone to save her father and Tecna in bad shape, could 4 Winx left find the missing piece of the Legendarium key?

Hello, people. It took a while, but here we have the next two chapters of A World Of Fiction. We're near the end now, I'm afraid. Only two more to go.  
I hope everyone enjoyed reading this story and that you'll like the other ones as well. The Price Of Love is only getting started, so feel free to read that one. 

This chapter will pick up where we left off and we'll have another time jump here. 

Happy reading everyone!

The Winx reached Tecna's room about 10 minutes after the technology fairy fell unconscious and they were met by a heartbreaking sight. "Oh My God." Stella screamed once she saw her two fallen best friends.

"What happened here?" Musa asked and Timmy finally lifted his head from the pillows, where he had buried it a few minutes before.

"I think we already know the answer." Bloom pointed to Darcy, who was waking up after being knocked down by Helia. The blue haired specialist held Flora's unconscious form in his arms and his head was lowered so no one could see his face, but they could hear his cries.

"That witch!" Stella yelled angrily and she approached Darcy just as the witch stood up and looked around in confusion.

"I better get going." She muttered once she noticed that she was greatly outnumbered and she quickly disappeared.

"What do we do now?" Musa asked Bloom and the fairy of the dragon flame focused her attention on Tecna and Flora.

"Now we must help them. Timmy, can you tell us what happened?" She replied while slowly walking towards the bed where the ginger specialist lay.

"I... I don't know if I can. Tecna... she's..." He stumbled upon his words, still in a shocked state.

"We were attacked, your majesty." It was Dr. Cameron who spoke and everyone turned to look at her, the Winx with confusion and Nebula with worry. "The witch came out of nowhere when I was helping Tecna deliver her child. The nature fairy fought against her and put a protective barrier around us, but she was hit by a powerful spell and fell unconscious." She explained and the Winx gasped in fear.

"She fought against Darcy all by herself and after performing the spell on Tecna?" Musa asked the doctor worriedly and she nodded.

"This isn't good, she must have been exhausted." Stella said, getting stressed from all the worrying. "And now I'm getting stressed, great!" She complained as she started to have trouble with breathing due to all the stress she was currently under.

"Come on, Stell, you can't get too stress, it's not good for the baby." Bloom attempted to calm her down, to no avail. There was the loud sound of crying and the Winx looked around worriedly, forgetting about the new baby girl that had entered their lives.

"Now what is that?" Musa asked while she looked around the room madly.

"Can one of you hold her while I check on Tecna?" Dr. Cameron called for their attention and they looked at the small child in her arms.

"I had almost forgotten about Tecna's child." Bloom mused while she stared at the baby with amazement.

"It's a girl?" Stella asked while she walked closer to the doctor, who nodded her head. "She's so cute!" The fairy of the sun squealed and the baby girl stopped crying for a second to look at her.

"Here, hold her." Allison all but commanded as she passed Stella the baby before walking towards the bed. The little girl cried even harder as Stella attempted to hold her.

"Hey, baby girl, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Stella tried to calm her down by rocking her and it worked. Soon she was silently staring at the blonde princess while her tiny hands reached to grab her long hair. "Ouch." Stella complained, surprised when the little girl grabbed it. "So you like hair, don't you? Well, you're not in luck because your mommy has short hair, so you'll have trouble doing this to her. Maybe I should cut my own hair, what do you think?" Stella talked to the little excitedly, unaware that she was being watched by her friends, who had had big smiles.

"She's a natural." Musa whispered to Bloom and the fairy of the dragon flame nodded. A different cry made everyone look back at Helia, who had been mostly silent ever since they had arrived, with the exception of his mumblings. After casting him a pitiful look, Bloom walked towards him and kneeled down by his side.

"Hey." She touched his shoulder and he almost jumped. "It's okay, it's okay." She calmed him down and he sighed, his face was streamed with tears and he looked heartbroken in a way they had only seen on the day Flora had died. "She'll be fine, okay? I'm going to heal her now." Bloom told him comfortingly and he nodded his head weakly. The fairy of the dragon flame then used her healing powers on Flora and soon her beautiful green eyes were opened and she stared at her boyfriend in confusion for a second before she smiled.

"I knew that you would save us." She told him proudly before she sat up on his lap.

"Flora." He said her name so brokenly and her smile faded as she realized how he must have felt when he had found her unconscious. She knew that it probably brought back memories that they had been trying to forget and her heart was filled with sadness.

"Sweetie, it's okay. I'm okay, see?" She told him with a reassuring look, but he stared straight ahead, face filled with pain.

"I... I almost lost you. Again. This is... I can't..." He stuttered before he resumed crying and she gently held him while keeping his head pressed to her chest. She sent Bloom a thankful look for healing her, to which the fairy of the dragon flame replied with a relieved one, and for the next few minutes, Flora held her beautiful boyfriend, the man she loved above anything and who was in so much pain. There was silence with the exception of Stella lightly talking to baby girl, who let out a few cries.

"Okay, I'm finished." Dr. Cameron broke the silence as she pulled away from Tecna, whom she had been examining.

"What are your conclusions, doctor?" Timmy asked her with his voice still shaking and she cast him a pitiful look before sighting.

"I'm afraid that Tecna's fallen into a comma." Allison explained and Musa gasped while covering her mouth and Stella tore her eyes away from the child in her arms.

"Oh, no." She exclaimed. Timmy's face was pure white as he stared in horror at Dr. Cameron.

"NO! How could this happen?" He screamed in anger and sadness.

"She lost too much blood and her condition worsened after giving birth. But she's still alive, her heartbeat is weak, but it's still there. It's only a matter of time now before she wakes up." She explained to them and there was silence once again.

1 week later...

"Why won't she stop crying?" A desperate Timmy screamed while he attempted to calm down his daughter. It had been a week since her birth and things had changed for the worse. Tecna's condition had been stalled and she had been staying at the infirmary at Alfea as everyone waited for her to wake up. Every nurse and doctor who had examined her had told them that her condition couldn't be changed, not even with a convergence spell, as Bloom had suggested. So all that was left was wait.

"I think that she's hungry. Here, let me feed her." Flora told him gently and she extended her arms. With a defeated sigh, Timmy handled her the crying baby and the nature fairy picked up a bottle from the table in the Winx's living room so that she could feed her.

Ever since baby girl was born Flora and Helia had decided to postpone the rest of their trip and come to Alfea to aid Timmy in taking care of her. The ginger specialist had been grateful for their help, though he wasn't aware that the main reason for their decision was that they needed a distraction.

After finding Flora in a condition much alike to when she had died, Helia had began losing his mind, his nightmares increased and even during the day there were times when he would have panic attacks when Flora was out of sight. The nature fairy, extremely concerned for his mental state, had decided to bring him to Alfea where they started seeing a therapist, Dr. Gillian Foster (anyone recognize?), recently employed by Miss. Faragonda. She had been helping them overcome their problems and they had to admit, things had improved after only three sessions with her.

While the Winx were on their missions to find the necessary objects to lock the Legendarium, after having obtained the mythix wands in Tir Nan Og, Flora, Helia and Timmy would stay at Alfe while taking care of baby girl and Lana. Aisha and Nabu had expressed their desires to go on missions again many times and since the nature loving couple had no desire to join in, they suggested that they stayed with Lana, to which the Andros couple easily agreed.

"I'll take her." Helia said firmly once there were more cries, this time coming from Lana, who had been playing with her toys in the small mattress that they had placed near the couch. Helia walked towards her and picked her up gently while she remained crying.

"It's okay, little Lana. Are you hurt?" The baby girl's response were more cries and Helia decided to check her. Soon he found a small bruise in her little leg that he wasted no time in healing with a potion Flora had prepared. Soon she was back to the smiling little girl that they had gotten used to. "There you go." The blue haired specialist told her with a smile before he placed her back on the mattress. The little girl groaned and she desperately lifted her arms and he couldn't help but laugh at how adorable she was.

"Looks like someone wants to spend some time with uncle Helia." Flora commented with a smile while she fed Tecna's daughter. It wasn't a full one, though, there was pain behind it. Helia smiled too before he picked Lana up once again and walked with her around the room. While he showed her different objects, she would laugh and coo. Soon Aisha came into the room followed by Musa, the two having just come back from the karaoke bar where they had been having their fun before the Winx were sent on a new mission.

"Hey, there. How's my little mermaid?" The fairy of waves asked while looking at Lana with a smile. Upon seeing her, the little girl laughed and extended her arms.

"She's been doing great, she just fell a few minutes ago but I took care of it." Helia explained before he kissed the little girl on her forehead and handled her back to Aisha.

"Always good to hear." She told him with a grateful smile before turning to Flora. "Thanks for all the help you two, you've been wonderful."

"It's no problem, Aisha. She's an amazing little girl."The nature fairy replied with a warm smile towards Lana. The little girl in her arms, having been fed and burped, looked at Aisha with curiosity.

"Are my ears deceiving me or is she quiet?" Musa asked while mentioning to Tecna's daughter with an incredulous expression. The fairy of music had gotten used to the little girl always crying for the past week, but it seemed as if she was able to calm down in Flora's presence.

"You've come at a good time, she was crying like the world was ending just a few minutes ago." Timmy replied while looking at his daughter lovingly.

"It's Flora and Helia, they're magical with children. I can't wait until you have your own, you'll be amazing parents." Aisha told Timmy and she missed the look shared between the nature loving couple. Though spoken kindly, her words felt like a punch to their faces as Flora and Helia recalled the conversation that they had had with Dr. Foster only a few hours ago.

"So, Flora, Helia told me that there's something that he wanted to talk about, something he's afraid to discuss." Dr. Foster had told the nature fairy, who had stared at her boyfriend with caution.

"What is it, sweetie?" He sighed before responding.

"I've wanted to talk to you about us." When she stared blankly at him, he decided to elaborate."I think we can both agree that our path hasn't been an easy one, but we've made it. We're together now and I'm happy." She cast him a smile, but his next words made it fade away." But I'm confused about where this relationship is going. You've told me before that you weren't ready to get married, that you wanted some time to heal and all. I just want to make sure that we're on the same page here."

"Now that you mention it, I actually wanted to discuss it with you too." She told him after a deep sigh.

"That's good, you two really need to talk about what your future plans are, in order to find out if you are on the same page, as Helia said." Dr. Foster told them and Flora looked at him sadly.

"The problem is, I don't think that we are." Helia looked at her, hurt and confused.

"What do you mean?" He questioned.

"I've done some thinking over the past few weeks and I've come to realize that I don't think that I'll ever want to get married." She told him guiltily.

"I didn't know that." He replied weakly.

"Please understand that I believe that you're an amazing guy, but I just, I've seen too many failed marriages in my life, I've been in one myself. I don't want our relationship to become like my parents' or the one I had with James." She explained and he shook his head in disbelief.

"Flora, you know well that I would never let that happen." He told her determinately and she felt tears threatening to fall.

"I know, but I'm not willing to risk it." She replied and he took a sharp intake of breath.

"What about children? Do you want to have them?" By then he was starting to get desperate and her response only strengthened the annoying voice in the back of his head that told him that maybe they weren't meant to be together.

"I'm afraid my decision is back to what it used to be: I don't want to have children." She broke both of their hearts once again.

"Is it because you don't think I'd make a good father?" He asked her brokenly and she wanted to tell him the real reason, that she was afraid of having to lose her children after everything that she had lost. However, as she thought about it, she knew that he would do everything he could to convince her that it wouldn't happen and try to change her mind. So she lied.

"Yes. And I know that I would be a terrible mother, so perhaps we aren't meant to have any children." She told him sharply and Dr. Foster started looking worried.

"Perhaps we should discuss this deeper, there must be other reasons why you wouldn't want to have children." She told them gently, but Helia only shook his head.

"No, I think the reason is pretty clear." She looked like she wanted to say something, but Helia's phone beeped."It's Timmy. He wants our help to take care of his daughter. Guess we should cancel it, shouldn't we?" He asked Flora and for the first time since she had known him, he sounded cold.

"No. He needs our help, so let's just do our best." Flora replied after sighing, guilt churning in her stomach for her lie. They thanked Dr. Foster and left the room. Once again their relationship was facing obstacles, but both feared that this time nothing could fix their broken hearts.

"Hey, Flo, are you okay?" Musa asked once she noticed that the nature fairy had a sad look on her face.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just some bad memories, nothing to be worried about." She quickly reassured her worried friends. The clock behind them tickled, signalling it was already 7 pm and Aisha face palmed.

"Ah, I almost forgot. Miss. Faragonda sent us here to call you, she wants to discuss our new mission." She told them.

"Yeah, we're supposed to meet her at the auditorium in 10 minutes." Musa added and Flora nodded before she walked towards Timmy.

"Here, will you be okay handling her while we're on our mission?" She asked him while passing him the baby girl.

"I think so. I'm still new at this parenting stuff, but I think that I can handle her for now. Thanks for all your help." He told her with a grateful smile and she returned a bright one.

"No problem, Timmy. I just love this adorable little girl." She cooed while staring lovingly at the baby.

"Don't worry, Nabu and I will be here to help you. He decided that we should stay here this time." Aisha told him with a reassuring smile. "So, shall we get going?" She then asked and Flora and Helia nodded.

"Hey, Flo, will you walk with me? I wanted to talk to you." Musa called the nature fairy, who looked surprised for a second.

"Sure. We'll meet you there." She told the others before her gaze fell onto Helia's face. "Will you be okay?" She asked him worriedly and he sighed before giving her a reassuring smile.

"Yes, I actually wanted some time to be alone now." He replied and he gave everyone a small smile before leaving the room. Aisha, Musa and Timmy noticed the tension between the nature loving couple, but they decided not to comment on it.

With Flora and Musa...

"So, what's going on with you?" Flora asked the music fairy after they had left the room and were on their way to the auditorium.

"I've been doing okay, but I wanted to talk to you about Riven." Musa replied, sounding tired and sad.

"Has he done something?" Flora asked, worried for her friend and Musa only sighed.

"He's been in his own world for a while now, like I don't even exist. I don't understand why he's ignoring me all of sudden, I thought that we were doing good." Musa confessed and Flora put a hand around her shoulders and cast her a supportive look.

"Riven has always been unpredictable, but I'm sure that he has a good reason not to talk to you."Flora told her and Musa groaned.

"I know, sometimes it sucks to be his girlfriend. Like, I feel like I don't know him at all. You're lucky to have Helia, Flo." The fairy of music angrily said and it was Flora's turn to sigh.

"I don't know, things haven't been all that great between us. He has been having a hard time lately and I'm feeling guilty for everything I've put him through." Musa cast her a knowing look, understanding exactly how she felt. "Maybe it would be best if we weren't together." Flora confessed sadly and Musa widened her eyes.

"Don't say that, Flo. You two are like made for each other!" Musa told her firmly and Flora looked unsure. "And besides, guys like Helia are one in a million, so you should just appreciate what you have instead of drowning in guilt. It won't do you any good. " She added and the nature fairy sighed.

"You're absolutely right, Musa. The problem is that, besides all the trouble we've already had, I'm starting to think that we might want different things in life, so our relationship might not have a future." Musa was surprised by these words, unknowing of what Flora meant.

"What do you mean by 'you want different things in life'? What different things?" A pained look came upon the fairy of nature's face as she answered.

"We were talking with our therapist today about children. Helia has said many times that he wants to have them and his opinion hasn't changed, but mine has. After everything I've lived, after watching everything my parents had to go through, I know that I would never be able to bare the pain of losing a child. So, I've decided that I no longer want to have them." Silence followed her confession and Musa sighed deeply.

"Wow. That's some pretty big decision." She commented, not knowing what she should say.

"Yeah. And I'm afraid that's gonna ruin our relationship." Flora told her with tears in her eyes and the fairy of music gave her a sympathizing look.

"Is he loves you as much as I think that he does, I'm sure that he'll choose to be with you. Besides, you don't have to have kids for him to be around them, we've got Lana, Tecna's child and also Stella's." Her words comforted the nature fairy and she smiled gratefully at her.

"Thanks for the advice, Musa. I hope Helia sees it that way too." She told the fairy of music. By then they had already reached the auditorium.

"You got it." Musa replied before she opened the door.

In the auditorium...

"There you two are! Where have you been?" The two friends were greeted by an impatient Stella, who wore a red dress they had never seen her in. As they would later find out, the sun fairy had just began showing, since she was already 11 weeks pregnant, so she was being forced to wear loose clothes.

"Sorry, Stel. We were taking a walk, so we lost track of time." Musa told her in a soothing tone and the sun fairy glared at them, but Brandon cast her a warning look so she said nothing. The brunette specialist had an arm wrapped around her shoulder and whispered something in her ear, causing her to smile.

"It's alright, you're just in time." Miss. Faragonda told them while she stood near Daphne and Eldora.

"So, where will we go now?" Musa asked excitedly as she and Flora joined the other fairies and their partners. All of the specialists plus Thoren were there.

"So, I was able to track down the second object that we'll need in order to form the Legendarium key." Daphne told them and Thoren cast her a proud smile.

These two had gotten even closer ever since they had returned to the Magic Dimension and just two days before they had shared the news that they were going to move in together in the palace of Domino. Bloom had been ecstatic for her sister and she had agreed to help with the move after their mission was finished. Everyone was happy for them, they knew just how much Daphne had gone through and agreed that she deserved the kind of happiness she seemed to have found with Thoren.

The idea to move in together had come from Thoren during their romantic getaway while the Winx were in Tir Nan Og. Daphne had taken a few days to think about it and she had accepted his proposal easily. They had returned from their trip a few days ago and she had been given her mythix wand, since there were seven wands that the Winx had managed to free after proving themselves during their fight against the Trix to protect Tir Nan Og.

"That's great, Daphne! Where is it?" Bloom asked her sister excitedly.

"In the lost village of FearWood, in Canada. I researched a bit about it and I found out that the inhabitants used silver to warn off werewolves." Daphne explained and Stella rolled her eyes.

"Mummies, zombie pirates and now werewolves? Earth is such a messed up place." The princess complained and Aisha and Musa had to hold themselves not to snap at her. Since the announcement of her pregnancy, Stella had been showing her mood swings all the time and they were sick of annoying, irritable Stella.

"I couldn't agree more." Brandon said and Stella smiled gratefully at him for agreeing to her.

"So, what exactly is this object that we're looking for?" Bloom asked Daphne, who used her wand to conjure an image of what they seeked.

"That's a totem, isn't it?" Timmy asked from the corner where he stood with half asleep baby girl in his arms.

"Yes. There is the silver spear, which can be used to rid the village of the werewolves. That's what we'll be looking for." Daphne explained and they nodded.

"Then let's get going! We have no time to waste." Bloom commanded before there was a loud shout as a new person entered the room.

"Wait! You can't leave yet!" Everyone turned their heads to look at Krystal and Daniel, who had just entered the room. The princess of Limphea carried a small bottle in her hands.

"Hello, Krystal. I sure didn't expect to see you again so soon." Flora greeted her warmly. A few days after the night of her princess ball, Krystal had told them that she had been appointed to help the healer that was in charge of King Therendor. Her mother, queen Violet of Limphea, had told the healer about Krystal's healing powers and the king and queen of Andros had told her that perhaps she would be able to save the king. So, the princess of Limphea had left Alfea and gone to Andros to try to figure out a way to heal the king.

"I wasn't expecting to come back to Alfea so soon either, but things have changed." Was Krystal's response and she smiled brightly.

"Weren't you supposed to be looking after my father?" Aisha asked her, her tone stern.

"I was looking after him. Yesterday, Astrid (the healer) had an idea to save him and I thought it might work, so I went to Limphea to gather what we needed." They looked at her with wide eyes.

"So you've found a way to save my father?" Aisha asked hopefully and Krystal smiled.

"I'm not 100% sure that this will work, but it's a good bet." She told them and they looked at her expectantly.

"It's more than a good bet, it's a brilliant idea." Daniel told her while giving her a proud smile.

"What great idea?" Stella asked impatiently and this time no one cast her warning glances.

"Astrid told me of a magical tree in Limphea called the Black Willow. According to what she told me, it lives on top of a waterfall where the water runs backwards and it has the power of reversing time." The Winx shared looks as they recalled their mission to that same tree only a few years previous.

"The black willow's tears. I'm surprised that we didn't think of it before." Bloom commented and Krystal's smile enlarged.

"You were there before, weren't you?" She asked them and they nodded.

"A few years ago. That's where I earned my Enchantix powers." Flora told her and her eyes went wide.

"Guys, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"Musa asked them with a bright smiled.

"If you're thinking that this might be a way for us to save Tecna too, then yes, Musa." Bloom replied with a bright smile and Stella and Aisha gasped.

"That's right. This is just perfect!" Aisha exclaimed and Timmy looked at them with hope.

"Are you sure that this could work? You could... save her?" He asked them unsurely and they gave him reassuring smiles.

"They're telling the truth, Timmy. The black willow's tears saved me from an evil spell cast by Valtor, years ago. It will work on Tecna as well." Miss. Faragonda told him and his face lightened up.

"I...I can't believe it. I'll see her again, hear her voice, it's everything I've wanted for these past few days." He exclaimed while looking dreamily at the little girl in his arms."Hear that, baby girl? You're going to meet your mommy." He told her excitedly and the Winx swooned at the beautiful sight.

"So does that mean that you two will figure out a name for her? Cause it's getting so weird calling her baby girl." Musa told him and everyone laughed.

"Okay, Winx, we should get going. Krystal, thank you so much for your help, but we really need to hurry." Bloom told the princess of Limphea, who gave them an understanding look.

"Of course, I understand." She replied and the Winx and specialists left after saying their goodbyes to Timmy, Aisha and Nabu. Flora and Helia decided to follow their friends in this mission, wanting to distract themselves from the fight that morning. After they were gone, Aisha approached the lavender haired princess.

"Can you give me the tears so that I can go heal my father?" The fairy of waves asked her and Krystal smiled before handing it to her.

"Here they are. I hope it works." She told Aisha hopefully and Timmy approached the two.

"What about Tecna?" He asked and Krystal sighed.

"I'm afraid that's all I had, but I can go back there and get some more water." She told him and Aisha, upon seeing his pained expression, made up her mind.

"Here, you can give this to Tecna." She said while handing him the bottle and he looked at her with wide eyes."I can see how much you're hurting, Timmy. Healing Tecna is our priority now, so you go and save her."

"I have no words to express how grateful I am." Was his reply.

"We'll go to Limphea now, will you be okay, Timmy?" Nabu asked him as he approached the trio with baby Lana in his arms. Timmy nodded, so the Andros couple followed Krystal outside of the auditorium while he walked the opposite direction, towards the infirmary.

IMPORTANT: Shoutout to AlexisPeaney for giving me the idea for the black willow's tears! Thank you!

Back with the Winx...

The six fairies reached Fearwood village about an hour later. Stella used her powers to create warm outfits for them since it was winter in Canada. Upon arriving, they were met by Eldora, who warned them that in order to find the totem and the silver spear they would have to go into the Legendarium World. After the fairy godmother was gone, they decided to search for it in the village and so the Winx and Specialists split up.

During their goodbyes, everyone noticed the tension between Flora and Helia, something unusual and unexpected. They wondered what could cause such a cold treatment between those two and Musa prayed that everything would go alright for them in the future. She also prayed that Riven would stop acting like a jerk, like when he distractedly played with his boomerang while Eldora was explaining to them how to find the silver sphere.

Bloom, Stella, Musa, Flora and Daphne searched along the village with the use of Bloom's mythix wand, but their search was rendered useless. They found no sign of the totem. Just as they were finally able to gather information upon its location, they were greeted by the sight of many people transforming into werewolves, courtesy of the Legendarium. So the five fairies transformed into their fairy forms and tried to hold off the werewolves without hurting them, since they were just normal people who had been cursed. Musa and Stella took care of the ones who attacked them easily, the fairy of music even got to try a new spell she had been dying to see and the results left her satisfied as the creature started busting dance moves.

During their fight, Flora had been distracted and almost got herself killed, but thankfully Bloom saved her. The fairy of the dragon flame, just like the others, was extremely concerned for her friend. She knew that it wasn't the time to discuss her behavior, though, so she and the others had agreed to question her about it once they were back at Alfea. In the end, it was the nature fairy that got their victory upon the werewolves with the creation of a cage to trap them. So they flew away in search for the specialists.

As they would later find out, the men's search had proven to be even more useless than their own. They had searched the forest and the only thing they found was an annoying Riven playing werewolf and causing Helia to go mad. The specialists had been surprised to see the usually pacific blue haired man act so roughly and they had gotten worried.

Soon they had decided to return to town so that they could meet up with the Winx, but they were stopped by an attack from many werewolves. The Winx found them just as Sky was about to take care of one of them. "Sky, no, please." Bloom begged him as she landed by his side and the boys looked at the newly arrived fairies with relief.

"Are you girls alright?" Thoren asked them, eyes focused on Daphne, who nodded.

"Yes. We were attacked by some of them, but we escaped." She told him before she turned to the other specialists. "We need to catch them without inflicting pain because they're just everyday men and women transformed." She explained and Musa came up with an idea, so she used her magic to conjure a cage made of music notes to trap them.

"Nice one, Musa." Bloom told her proudly and Riven cast a smile her way that left her confused. After that, Bloom and Daphne used their magic to send some werewolves into Musa's cage. Once the beasts tried to escape, a loud sound reverberated through it and they covered their ears before taking steps back from the music bars.

"This was a brilliant idea, Musa." Riven told the music fairy with a smile and she sent him a small one. She could feel anger towards him bubbling up as she wondered why he seemed to be playing with her, ignoring her for days and then all of sudden being nice. She was ready to ask him about it when all of sudden they heard a groan and everyone turned to look at two werewolves who were thrown off, coming from an alley.

They looked confused for a second before they spotted Helia, who kicked another one into the music cage. The specialists looked impressed while he battled the beats like it was nothing, with an unusual fierceness. Bloom and Stella shared worried looks before their eyes settled on the nature fairy, who watched him with a sad expression. Soon Helia had taken care of the remaining five werewolves and he was congratulated by the specialists.

"Helia, you were incredible." Flora beamed as she flew to his side.

"I might not be able to take care of children, but I know a thing of two about fighting against wild beasts." He responded coldly, surprising and confusing the group even more.

"So that's what this is all about?" She asked him shockingly and he sighed deeply.

"Of course it is about what you said! If you wanted to erase my confidence about being a father someday, then congratulations because you've done it." He replied with a pained look and she looked at him sadly.

"Helia, I..." Flora started saying before many werewolves appeared.

"We better get out of here, guys." Sky urged them and everyone started leaving in the direction of a clearing where the Winx had been told that the totem existed. Helia stayed behind to stall the werewolves while they left.

Far away from there, in Cloud Tower, three witches watched them with smirks. "Sisters, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Icy asked them and Darcy nodded.

"This is our chance to get our revenge on Flora and him for humiliating me last week." The witch of illusions said angrily.

"Indeed. And I know just how we're going to do that." Icy told them before she turned to Selina."Selina, are you able to give me the power of a character from that book?" She asked the young girl, who smirked.

"Tell me who, and their power will be yours." Was her reply and Darcy looked at Icy indignantly.

"Hey, why do you get to destroy them? It's my revenge." She complained and Icy sighed.

"Because you were the one who messed up last time, so if we want thing to get done, I should be the one taking care of it." She replied sternly and Darcy fell silent.

"You're right. Good luck there." She wished and Icy sent her a smile.

"I won't need it." She replied before Selina worked her magic.

Back at Alfea...

Timmy nervously walked towards the infirmary with baby girl sound asleep in his arms. Part of him was scared that this wouldn't work, that Tecna would never open her eyes again and he would have to raise his daughter all on his own. He was afraid of having hope, but with each step towards Tecna's room he began feeling more hopeful. Soon he was right at her door and he opened it.

Tecna lay in the bed wearing her favorite outfit, a short purple dress that she had wore on the night he had proposed to her. Her hair was loose and sprawled on the pillows. She looked like an angel to him, though the usual glow he would see in ehr was gone. It was unsettling, how much she had changed ever since she had fallen into the comma. Her skin was even paler than usual and she looked so lifeless, so lost.

Timmy gently placed their daughter on a crib left on the room for the days he would sleep there before he approached the bed. The little girl cried in protest, but soon she went back to sleeping peacefully. "Hey, Tec." He greeted the technology fairy with a small smile. "I know that you probably can't hear me, but I've brought great news." He told her while holding up the bottle. "We've found a way to bring you back, to heal you. It's not certain that it will work, but I hope, no I pray that it will. Because I can't live without you, Tecna. I already went there when you were lost in the Omega Dimension and it was the hardest moment of my life.

I know it's illogical to be so attached to someone, but I don't care. You are everything to me, the string that ties me to this world and keeps me from doing something stupid. I just want you back so that we can achieve the happiness that we so desperately wanted these past few weeks. I want everything to be alright." He held her cold hand in his while confessing and he looked at her with so much love no one could ever doubt his feelings for her. "So let's do this." He added before taking out the cover of the bottle. With gentle and careful movements, he placed it on her mouth and helped her swallow the water. There was silence for a few moments as he stared at her with anticipation and fear. At last, she opened her eyes.

"Timmy?" Her beautiful teal eyes fell on his face and she looked so confused, so lost. But she was alive and, to him, that was all that mattered.

"Tecna. You're okay." He said with so much joy and she was even more confused when he threw his arms around her in a tight but gentle hug. Knowing her fiancée, she decided to let him have this moment before he explained everything to her. So she wrapped her own arms around him and placed her head on his chest, where his heart was beating strongly for her.

So, what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy the FXH scenes with the babies? What will happen with them now that they realized that they have different views of the future? And will Icy be able to get her revenge?

What about Daphne and Thoren? Did you like the development of their relationship that I put in here? Would you like some flashbacks to their conversation when he asked her to move in?

Told you that I wouldn't kill off Tecna. Did you like how it was Krystal that came up with the idea to heal her? I wanted to give her more importance to the story.


	31. Falling into place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fight against Ict isn't over yet and Flora will have to face the dire consequences of Icy's spell. Musa's also not doing so good since she's almost deciding to break up with Riven. However, after a few surprises and heartfelt confessions, everything finally falls into place. It seems like the Winx are finally reaching the end of the battle, but is it really over,?

Here's another one! 

This chapter will focus on tying up the loose ends and we'll have closure with plots like Aisha's father sickness and Tecna's illness too. There will be many Flora X Helia scenes, as usual and a surprise is coming. A big one that I don't think anyone saw coming.  
Happy reading!

With Aisha and Nabu...

The Andros couple followed Krystal to Limphea where they took the same path that the Winx had years ago. Aisha was nervous about being there once again, remembering how they had been attacked by the Trix and Flora had almost died, but she pushed it aside. She knew that her father was more important than her fears and he needed her, so she kept going. About 20 minutes later they arrived at the passage that led to the Black Willow.

"Here we are." Krystal said with a bright smile.

"This place is gorgeous." Daniel commented afterwards while he stared at the waterfall. Having lived his entire life in Magix, he wasn't used to such beautiful natural landscapes. However, he sure had a love for nature, having been raised by a nature fairy who had left Limphea for reasons he never knew. So when he met Krystal and found out that she was the princess of the planet of nature, the two had connected immediately. It hadn't taken very long for him to get the courage to ask her out and for her to accept. Now, 3 months later, they were happier than ever.

"I couldn't agree more. I've been to Limphea a couple times, but this place is clearly the most beautiful." Nabu agreed with the blonde specialist and little Lana, who rested in his arms, laughed.

"There are actually more waterfalls just as breathtaking, but none of them have magic properties like this one." Krystal told the two boys and Aisha gasped once she remembered something.

"Hey, weren't Flora and in Helia in one of these when he proposed?" The fairy of waves asked and Krystal's face lightened up.

"Yes! I recall when Helia came to me asking for ideas on how to propose. I told him that the waterfalls were the perfect scenario." The princess of Limphea said and her boyfriend smiled proudly.

"That's my girl, always helping out with the romance." He said and everyone laughed.

"Did anyone bring a bottle or something?" Aisha asked once the laughter stopped, seeing that they had arrived at the Black Willow.

"Oh, no, I completely forgot." Krystal said and Nabu smiled at them before he used his magic to create a purple bottle.

"There we go." He told them and Aisha smiled at him, mentally facepalming herself for not thinking of it. After that, the wizard handled Lana back to Aisha before he picked some water very carefully before they used magic to teleport themselves to Andros. Arriving at the palace, they were met by frantic guards running everywhere.

"What's going on?" Aisha asked worriedly and Nabu, as usual, smiled reassuringly at her.

"Maybe there's a party we didn't know about, you know how people get when there are parties here." He suggested and the fairy of waves didn't buy it. She walked fastly towards a nearby guard who greeted her with a bow.

"Excuse me, is everything okay?" She asked and the guard had a sorrowful look on his face.

"I'm afraid not, your highness. The king just had a heart attack." He told them and the fairy of waves gasped while standing there in shock. It took a while for her to understand what the guard said, but once she did, she could feel her heart breaking.

"Aisha?" It was Nabu, worried about how pale she looked. Her arms were weakly trying to hold little Lana, who was slipping. Thankfully, the others noticed it and Krystal was quick to pick up the little girl while Nabu tried to comfort her. "Hey, it's okay. I'm sure that your father will be fine."

"Could you for once not be so...positive?" She yelled angrily while glaring at him and he was surprised, but he understood that it was her sadness talking. So he gently took her hand and lightly kissed it.

"Let's go find him." He told her and she sprinted towards the castle with him following her closely behind. Krystal and Daniel walked slower since they were with a child. Baby Lana didn't stop crying ever since her parents were out of sight and nothing the gentle princess did managed to calm her down.

"Father? Father?" Aisha yelled while running along the corridors. Upon seeing a familiar face, she stopped.

"Aisha, darling. I didn't expect you back here yet." Queen Niobe told her daughter, her face was pale and her eyes were red.

"Mother!" Aisha hugged her tightly and Nabu could see that the queen was barely able to hold herself together.

"I'm so sorry to hear about what happened, your majesty." He gently told her after she and Aisha had pulled apart. Niobe sent him a grateful smile.

"How is he?" Aisha asked worriedly and fearfully and her mother sighed.

"Not well. They were able to revive him after his heart attack, but he's too weak. They don't... He probably won't survive, dear." Was her heartbroken reply and she was surprised when, instead of crying like she expected, Aisha gave her a determined look.

"I won't let that happen, mother. I promise." The queen smiled sadly.

"I'm afraid that there's nothing any of us can do." She replied and Nabu smiled.

"But there is, princess Krystal has found a way to cure him." He told her and Niobe's eyes went wide before she gave them a hopeful look.

"Truly?" Aisha smiled at her mother.

"Yes. But we must hurry." So the three of them ran towards the king's room. The best doctor in Andros was there along with Astrid.

"Good afternoon, princess." They greeted Aisha formally and she barely nodded as her attention was focused on her father, who looked worse than ever. She sat down on the bed by his side and took his cold hand in his. His colorless face and slow breaths concerned her greatly.

"Hurry, Nabu." She told her husband, who quickly sat down on the king's other side before picking the bottle and opening it. He slipped some of its content in the king's mouth and everyone waited with their breaths caught in their throats.

"Aisha." King Therendor smiled once he spotted his only daughter.

"Daddy!" The fairy of waves said before she broke down into sobs and he slowly sat up, with Nabu's help, so that he could embrace her. Niobe approached the bed slowly while she watched their interaction with a smile.

"My love." Therendor turned to her once he pulled apart from Aisha and the fairy of waves stepped away from the bed to let her parents have their moment. The king and queen of Andros met in a tight embrace, each crying like never before, though this time it were tears of happiness and relief.

"Looks like everything worked out for the best." A smiling Krystal said once she and Daniel entered the room with baby Lana. Aisha walked towards her to pick up the little girl.

"Thank you, for everything." She told the princess of Limphea with a grateful smile.

"I'm glad I could help." Was Krystal's response before she looked back at Aisha's parents with a bright smile. The couple pulled apart only so that they could share a passionate kiss and Aisha couldn't keep the smile off her face upon seeing her parents finally happy.

"Aisha, dear, come here." Therendor called for her after they pulled apart and the fairy of waves gladly walked towards the bed and sat down between them. Both her parents hugged her tightly."Thank you." The king whispered in her ear and she only hugged him tighter. Everything felt so right in that moment, like all the pieces were falling into place.

With the Winx...

They arrived at the clearing a few minutes later, but they found no sign of the totem. "It's not here." Stella said confusingly.

"That's odd." Musa asked just as confused.

"Remember what Eldora told us, the totem and the silver spear only exist in the Legendarium world." Daphne told them determinately.

"We don't have much time." Helia said once he joined the group, many werewolves following him closely. Next thing they knew, they were surrounded. So they formed two circles, the fairies on the air and specialists on the ground. Helia stood in the far corner, near an oak tree. One of the beasts attacked him and he handled him well until he tripped on one of the branches and fell.

"Need a hand?" Someone asked him and he barely looked, attention focused on fighting against the monster.

"I've got it." He replied after he kicked the beast, sending him unconscious. "Icy!" He exclaimed once he saw who his "helper"was.

"Surprise!" She said with a wicked grin before she used her magic on him.

Flora looked at her friends with a smile since they were winning the fight against the werewolves. Once she saw her frozen boyfriend and Icy, it faded. "Oh, no, Helia." She exclaimed before she picked her mythix wand and pointed it at Icy. "Let him go!" She demanded angrily and the ice witch only laughed.

"And give up my chance at revenge on you two? Not a chance." Flora sent a spell her way, but she easily avoided it. "If you want to see him again, you'll have to go to the Legendarium World." And then she was gone.

"Then I guess I have no choice." Flora said before she transformed into her mythix form and went into the Legendarium World. She barely heard Bloom yelling at her to wait. Soon she found herself in a world filled with ice and she sighed. "Great. What is this place?" She muttered and she was surprised when she got a response.

"Only the coolest place around, the domain of the snow queen." Icy responded while she floated in the air.

"You? The snow queen?" Flora was confused, but there was no time to dwell on it. She quickly sent a powerful spell towards the ice witch, but it seemed as if this wasn't a good aiming day.

"Here, let me show you what a real spell is like." Icy scoffed before she sent an ice spell towards Flora. The nature fairy was able to form a barrier to protect herself and she knew that she was being played.

"Where is Helia?" She demanded and Icy laughed before an ice sleight came his way.

"He's coming to pick up his queen." Was her wicked response before she climbed onto it and Flora could see her frozen boyfriend holding the ropes. "This sleight was built for two, sweetheart, I'm afraid that you'll have to clear the way." Icy said next before the sleight moved forward, almost knocking the nature fairy.

"This so isn't my day." Flora muttered before she started following the ice witch closely, hoping to rescue her boyfriend. "Don't worry, Helia, I'll save you." She promised, though she doubted that he wanted to be saved by her right now.

Back at Alfea...

Tecna and Timmy broke apart from their hug a few minutes later, though the ginger specialist kep an arm wrapped around her shoulder, afraid that she would vanish if he ever let her go. The technology fairy looked around the room with confusion, clearly lost.

"Where are we?" She asked him curiously.

"We're at the infirmary, at Alfea." He responded calmly and her eyes went wide.

"At Alfea? But just a few minutes ago we were at Tir Nan Og." She whispered confusingly and Timmy sighed.

"It weren't just a few minutes ago, Tec." He told her gently while taking one of her hands in his and caressing it. "Actually, it's been seven days, 6 hours and 34 minutes since we got back." Her eyes went even wider and she gasped.

"What? How come I don't remember any of it?" She questioned, exasperated and her hands started running down her hair, an old habit when she was stressed.

"You were unconscious, Tec. You fell into a comma, as Dr. Cameron told us." He told her sadly.

"Oh God." She whispered as the realization of just how much pain she had caused him made her feel terrible.

"I was starting to worry that you'd never wake up, that I'd never see your beautiful eyes again or hear your voice."He started telling her, voice hoarse from the tears threatening to fall. "The doctors said it would take time, if it would even happen at all. I was so lost and scared, but now that you're alright, I feel happier than ever." He finished with a smile and she cast him a sad one.

"Oh, Timmy. I'm so sorry I put you through this." She apologized gently and he shook his head.

"No. You don't need to apologize, this is definitely not your fault." He said firmly and she was a little surprised by how rough he sounded. "Anyways, what matters now is that everything's okay and we're together once again." He added more gently and she smiled while looking at their intertwined hands. Suddenly there was a loud cry and Tecna looked around in concern before realization hit her.

"Is that...?" She asked and Timmy nodded before he stood up and walked towards the crib. The baby girl with pink hair and teal eyes looked back at him, falling silent once she saw him there.

"Come here, baby girl." Timmy gently told the newborn child before he picked her up. With her safely in his arms, he made his way towards the bed where Tecna looked at them with anticipation and curiosity. "Do you want to take her?" Timmy asked her and she nodded her head, eyes still mesmerized by the little girl. As soon as she picked her up, the baby's tiny hands started reaching towards her own and she laughed at her daughter.

"She's so amazing." Tecna mused while staring at her adoringly.

"Indeed. She's the only thing that's helped me get through this past week without you." Timmy told her while sliming at their daughter.

"It must have been so hard for you, I can't even imagine." She told him, her smile suddenly fading.

"Let's not discuss this now, okay? We should enjoy this time we have with our daughter." He told in a gentle tone yet leaving no space for discussions.

"Our daughter. Now that's something I didn't expect to be saying so soon." She replied and before gasping once ittle girl was finally able to grab her hand and began playing with her little finger. "Look at this." Tecna exclaimed and Timmy laughed.

"She's a real grabber, Aisha told me. Whenever she's with Flora or Stella she always grabs their hair, it's a bit hilarious." He explained and Tecna laughed.

"Flora. How is she? Last time I saw her, she was unconscious." Her expression turned to worry and sadness and Timmy gave her a reassuring look.

"She's alright, Bloom easily healed her. I'm more worried about Helia, he was so broken when he found her. The poor guy has been through enough." Tecna nodded in agreement after sighing in relief. "Him and Flora were acting strange today, I think they had a fight earlier."

"What about the others? How are they doing?" She asked and Timmy had a thoughtful expression before he replied.

"Well, Bloom and Sky are doing fine, no news with them. Ah, there's Daphne and Thoren, they've just decided to move in." Tecna looked surprised and happy.

"That's great! Those two certainly deserve to be happy. What about Stella? How's her pregnancy doing?" Tecna curiously asked, already imagining how impossible the sun fairy must be.

"She's impossible, I don't know how Brandon can handle the mood swings." He told her while laughing and Tecna joined in.

"Poor Brandon." She said afterwards. "And Aisha? How's her father doing?" She expected his smile to fade away, but it only grew.

"Krystal found a way to cure him, so they've gone to Andros." He told her and she smiled too.

"That's good. How will they heal him?" She curiously asked and Timmy picked the bottle from the bedside table.

"These are the tears of the black willow. Do you remember?" She nodded.

"Of course. What a brilliant idea." She mused while looking at the small bottle, understanding that he had used it to heal her.

"So Aisha, Nabu and little Lana are fine. The only ones who aren't in best terms are Musa and Riven." He told her afterwards and Tecna sighed.

"Why am I not surprised?" Was her sorrowful reply.

"But this time is different. Riven's been ignoring her because he has a surprise planned and he fears that he'll tell her all about it if he's around her. Too bad she thinks that he reverted back to moody, aggressive Riven." Timmy was quick to explain the situation regarding the music fairy and her boyfriend.

"So it's a good surprise?" She asked and Timmy smiled brightly.

"It's the best one. The specialists and I helped him organize it, we sure hope that she will like it." timmy confessed and Tecna smiled at him while the little girl in her arms let out a cry, calling for their attention. "I think she might be hungry." Timmy said before he walked towards the cabin and picked a purple baby bottle.

"Can I do it?" Tecna asked once he extended his arms so that she could handle the baby to him. At first he was surprised, but then he smiled.

"Of course. It's not that hard, I learned it pretty easy." He told her proudly and she laughed.

"I'm sure you did just as I'm sure that you've been an amazing father." She replied with a proud smile and his smile enlarged. He gave Tecna the bottle and she gently put it on the baby's mouth.

"You were right, it's not so hard." Tecna mused while the little girl drank the milk. "There you go, baby girl." She told her before she frowned.

"What's wrong?" Timmy asked, suddenly worried.

"I was just wondering, have you named her? Cause I've been calling her baby girl and it sounds weird after so many times." She asked him and he looked relieved.

"No, I haven't. I knew that you'd want us to name her together, so I've waited." He replied and she looked at him with amazement.

"You're amazing, you know?" She asked him and Timmy just shook his head.

"No, I'm just a decent person. You're her mother, you should be the one choosing her name." She couldn't help herself and she brought him closer by the neck so that she could kiss him passionately. He responded with as much passion and the baby girl in her arms cried in protest as Tecna's arm had dropped the bottle. The couple pulled apart to look at the angry little girl and they laughed.

"Sorry, sweetie." Tecna apologized after their laughter died down before she picked the bottle and fed her again. "So, do you have any ideas on what we should name her?" She then asked Timmy, who looked absolutely surprised.

"I do, I've thought of a few names that mean wisdom and intelligence, since we know that she's going to be a little genious." He told her and she gave him an encouraging look. "What do you think of Olivia, Livie for short? " He asked and she smiled.

"I like it. Olivia. Sure sounds like a smart little girl." She told him and he smiled too.

"It's settled then. Welcome to the world, Olivia." They looked back at their daughter and wondered how it was possible that they could have so much love for someone they had met for only a few days or minutes, in Tecna's case. Being finally happy, together and with her felt like a dream and both wished that things would keep falling into place in everyone's lives.

In the Legendarium World...

Flora followed Icy and Helia for a good while, managing to overcome the ice spells sent her way and the suddenly overgrown ice trees. She knew that she needed to get this over with or else she would forever be trapped in the Legendarium World with Icy, so she started forming a plan to rescue Helia and get out of there. Suddenly, she saw it. It was huged and blue, with a silver spear on top.

"The totem." She whispered to herself and she stopped mid air. Icy seemed to notice that she was no longer following her because she too stopped the sleight.

"You know, I'm starting to think that maybe you and your useless boyfriend should be together." The ice witch said with a contempt. She sent another spell Flora's way and the nature fairy managed to hide behind a tree, though she noticed that she was so cold that her wings were starting to free.

"This cold...It's all around me." She muttered, starting to panic as she realized that she needed to get out of there before she turned into a popsicle.

"Better get used to it, cause you'll be staying in here forever." Icy laughed evilly and Flora used her last bit of determination for a powerful spell that would buy her enough time to get out of there.

"Life essence." The reindeers that carried the sleigh suddenly were brought back to life and they ran away quickly, leaving the sleigh to fall and Icy, caught off guard, was thrown into a tree.

"Helia!" Flora screamed once she noticed that he had fallen as well. She used her wand to put a barrier around him and carry him to the totem before landing next to him. From the corner of her eye she saw a mad Icy coming their way. "Don't worry, Helia. We'll be out of here soon." Were her last words before she used her magic to teleport them back to Fear Wood. She barely heard Icy's outraged scream before she left. "It's not over yet."

Back in Fear Wood...

The Winx and Specialists found themselves surrounded by werewolves and they were unsure of how to proceed. "As far as I'm concern, this party's getting a bit too crowded." Stella commented from her spot behind Brandon, who had stayed in front of her to protect her and her child. The two of them weren't in the best terms that night since he had tried to convince her not to come, afraid for their child's life, she had set her foot down.

"We need to break the curse." Thoren said firmly and Daphne looked worried.

"The sun will only rise in many hours, so I don't think that's possible." She replied and Musa was next.

"I wonder if a moon rise would do the Trix." The fairy of music joked and Stella glared at her. Suddenly, there was a bright green glow and everyone stepped away, unsure if it was good or bad. It faded away to reveal Flora and Helia.

"Flora, Helia, you're back!" Bloom happily exclaimed and she was worried when the nature fairy didn't respond.

"And you bought the totem." Sky added while pointing at it and Daphne's previous worried expression was replaced by a relieved one.

"It will surely break the curse of FearWood." She told everyone and sure enough they felt a powerful energy and all of the werewolves started turning back into their human forms.

"I'm so glad you're okay, Flo." Bloom told the nature fairy with a relieved smile and Flora looked at her sadly.

"But Helia isn't. He was frozen by Icy and he isn't responding." Was her heartbroken reply as she placed her hand on his neck to search once again for a pulse. "Now I'm starting to understand how horrible he felt, this pain is something I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemies." She added while the tears began cascading down her face.

"Isn't there anything you can try to bring him back?" Musa asked her and she looked unsure.

"My nature spell. It worked in the Legendarium World." She said before standing up and using it on her frozen boyfriend. The spell worked and soon Helia was standing up unsteadily and looking around in confusion.

"What?" He muttered and Flora looked at him with a bright smile before hugging him tightly.

"Helia, I'm so glad that you're okay." She was surprised when he didn't hug her back, but she assumed that he was still mad at her for her earlier words.

"Not now, Flora." He replied coldly and she took in a sharp breath, but her request to ask to speak to him was interrupted by the appearance of Eldora.

"Eldora!" Bloom exclaimed happily and the fairy godmother looked at them proudly.

"Winx, I am so proud of you. You've managed to find and bring here the totem that contains the final object that we will need to form the Legendarium key." She told them while smiling.

"It was all Flora's doing." Bloom told her while casting her friend a smile and Flora sent a small one their way.

"Shall we take out the silver spear?" Eldora asked them and they nodded. Flora walked forwards and used her magic to retrieve the spear before giving it to her while Bloom handed the emerald as well. "Now, stone and metal will become... a key made of emerald and silver." She chanted and soon a key appeared.

"Wow." The Winx and specialists stared at it in amazement.

"Here, I'll entrust it to you, Bloom." Eldora said next before she handed the key to the fairy of the dragon flame.

"So, what do we do now?" Musa asked and they looked lost in thought before a brown haired man approached them.

"Dear strangers, I am the mayor of this town and I've come to thank you. We used to live in fear, but now that the curse is broken, we can finally be at peace." He told them with a grateful smile.

"It's no problem. Breaking curses is kind of our thing." Musa replied and some of them laughed.

"Now you can celebrate outside, at night." Stella said excitedly and Bloom, Musa and Flora shared looks, knowing where this was going. "How about we have a party tonight?" The sun fairy asked, as her best friends had expected.

"Sounds like a lovely idea." Was the mayor's response before he left, probably to warn the citizens.

"Guess we're going to celebrate." Brandon said while smiling at his girlfriend and Helia scoffed.

"Parties are lame." He said with disdain and the others started getting worried. Sure, he had been acting like a jerk before, probably due to his fight with Flora, but this time he sounded like a completely different person.

1 hour later...

The party was in full swing as everyone was having their fun. Stella, Bloom and Musa were doing a race competition while Flora watched them from afar. The fairy of nature was too worried about her boyfriend to have fun, specially after she was unable to convince him to talk to her. He stood on the other side of the street, hanging with Riven and acting like she had never seen.

"Maybe you should go a little easy on them, Thoren." Daphne was telling her own boyfriend, who was up against Sky and Brandon in a game of ropes not far from where the Winx were competing. The brown haired man was easily holding of the two specialists, who panted as they tried to pull the ropes back to their side.

"Go easy? What's the fun in that?" Thoren joked before he used his strength to pull the rope and the two specialists fell face down. Daphne rolled her eyes at him before she approached him.

"You're a true winner." She told him sarcastically and he cast her a charming smile.

"Of course I am, I won your heart." He replied and Daphne couldn't keep the smile off her face at his sweet words.

"It is yours, forever. I love you, Thoren." She confessed and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I love you too, Daphne." He told her before they kissed.

"I can't believe it! I won!" They could hear an excited Stella exclaim and the couple broke apart to look at the sun fairy, who jumped up and down while Bloom and Musa were knocked on the ground. "And now, I have a fun idea for our next game." Stella conjured colorful balls and binds to keep the two fairies from seeing anything.

"Now what are you up to, Stel?" Bloom asked cautiously.

"You just have to burst the orbs of light and you'll get a fantastic surprise." Was the sun fairy's excited response and the two fairies decided to play her game, though they didn't have much fun. After a while, Musa was able to burst one of the balls and a magic spell coming from it made Bloom turn into a small dog.

"What a ridiculous game." Riven scoffed as him and Helia approached the fairies. The maroon specialist seemed to be in a terrible mood and Musa's anger grew.

"Really? Then let's see if you can do any better." She told him before using her own magic to create more orbs and blindfold him and Helia. Flora's phone rang, so the nature fairy walked away for a bit to see who it was and she missed the fight that started between the two specialists.

"Hey, Timmy." She greeted the caller.

"Goodnight, Flora. I'm just calling to tell you that Tecna's okay now, don't want to get in the way of your mission." He replied with happiness and Flora's eyes went wide.

"She's okay? That's so amazing." The nature fairy exclaimed and next thing she knew, Tecna was speaking.

"I'm better than ever, Flo. How are things in Canada?" The technology fairy asked and it took a while for the shock of hearing her speak again to wear off.

"It's going well, we've already formed the Legendarium key." Flora replied proudly and she heard them sigh in relief.

"That's good. So, when will you be back?" Timmy asked and Flora was about to respond when there was a loud scream. Looking back, she spotted Helia and Riven fighting and by the look on the blue haired man's face, she knew that he was deadly serious.

"Probably later tonight. Look, guys, I gotta go. Riven and Helia are causing trouble." She told them worriedly while walking towards the two specialists.

"Of course, Flo. See you soon." Tecna replied before the call ended.

"Helia, that's enough." Flora arrived just as he was about to stab Riven and she put herself between them. He cast her a look filled with coldness and hatred that hurt her.

"Get out of here, Flora." He said venomously and she stepped back in surprise. Her intervention had given enough time for Brandon and Sky to approach them and they held off Helia, who kept struggling. "Hands off." He angrily told his friends and they were even more surprised.

"I've got this now. Rest and be still."Daphne approached them and used her magic to calm down Helia. Then she examined him, trying to figure out what seemed to be wrong with him. "Oh, God."

"What is it?" Flora asked her worriedly and she cast the nature fairy an apologizing look.

"His heart, it's still frozen." Flora gasped and Bloom, having just been turned back to her human form, spoke determinedly.

"Then I'll melt it." Daphne shook her head.

"I'm afraid it cannot be reversed by fire. But we must find another way to break this spell or else he'll freeze completely." She told them gravely and Flora looked back at her boyfriend, eyes filled with tears.

"I have to save him, no matter what. I owe it to him." She vowed before she stepped away from him and her friends surrounded her, Bloom and Musa comfortingly placing their hands on her shoulder.

"Everything's gonna be alright, Flora." Musa reassured her before they heard a familiar evil laugh.

"No so fast, Flora!" Icy said while she floated in the air.

"Icy! How could you?" Bloom asked angrily and the ice witch only smirked.

"I'm just here to get my revenge. Besides, you know that I like my boys cold hearted." She responded and the Winx wasted no time in transforming.

"I prefer everything warmer, so get ready to be burnt." Bloom fought back and she sent a powerful spell her way. Icy seemed to be expecting it, though, because she easily avoided it.

"Big mistake, Bloom. You better be ready to be frozen just like him." She pointed towards Helia with a smirk and Flora lost it. With a distressed groan, she flew high in the air and started sending spell after spell towards the ice witch, who looked like she was enjoying herself.

"Well, well. Look who it is." She gave Flora a wicked grin.

"Lilac vortex." Flora's powerful blow hit the shield that Icy conjured just then.

"Now, I'm going to teach you never to mess with the Trix again." She told the nature fairy before she started glowing blue. "Goodbye, nature fairy." She sent a spell Flora's way and since she was distracted by anger and fear, Flora didn't have have time to put up her shield and she was hit hard. The spell froze her wings and she felt herself falling down with no way of stopping it. She screamed loudly before she closed her eyes and embraced herself for the impact, while praying like her mother had taught her to do when she was only a child. The contact with the cold, hard ground never came, though. Instead, a tree reached out almost as if to soften her fall and so she felt no pain.

"Helia. He needs me, my friends need me. But how can I help them if I can't fly?" She whispered brokenly and it felt like everything was falling apart once again.

Back with the Winx...

"Flora!" Bloom screamed worriedly.

"You'll pay for this, Icy." Musa yelled after Flora disappeared in the forest.

"Now that she's taken care of, it's time to deal with the rest of you." Icy said, sounding uninterested. She used her newfound powers to freeze the entire village and the Winx were caught by surprise, so they weren't able to stop it. Thoren, Sky, Brandon and Riven found a safe place to hide with the latter carrying Helia. They knew that this wasn't a fight they could take, so they decided to wait for the Winx to finish it.

"I'll take you first." Icy looked straight at the music fairy before sending a powerful spell her way, one that she was unable to block and she was thrown back, hard.

"Musa!" A worried Riven screamed and he almost left their safe hiding place, but Sky put an arm around his shoulder and sent him a warning look.

"That's enough! There's no ice that my flame can't melt." Bloom determinedly said before she sent her dragon flame towards Icy. The ice witch only smirked as she sent her own powers to meet Bloom's. For a few seconds, the two powers met and started consuming each other, but since Icy's powers came from the Legendarium, she was able to win the fight and Bloom was thrown back as well. Only Stella was left now and the fairy of the shining sun was terrified for her child and herself, a hand unconsciously placed on her stomach.

"Oops. Looks like you're left all alone. This is too easy." The ice witch prepared to send a spell towards her.

"No, she's not. I think it's time we settle this once and for all." Flora emerged from the forest, looking more determined than they had ever seen her.

"I couldn't agree more. Are you sure that you want to compete against the snow queen?" Ice glared at her before she smirked, sure that she would win this fight as well.

"Try me." Flora dared and Icy used her powers to make the storm worse and freeze everything faster. "Well, since you want a competition, check out this out." The nature fairy took out a white rose that she had picked, remembering how Musa had told her that it could increase her powers a lot. "Spring shower." She cast the most difficult spell she had ever used, with the rose's help and the results were satisfactory. Icy's shield was unable to block it and she was sent away, hopefully never to return, and her spell was undone.

"Helia!" Flora flew towards her newly conscious boyfriend, who looked at her proudly.

"Flora." He muttered before snaking his arms around her for a hug.

"Oh, Helia, I was so worried." She melted into his hug, loving the feeling of his arms around her so warmly. It was a nice change from the way he had treated her before.

"You never gave up on me, Flora, you never lost hope." He told her gently, his hand caressing her cheek.

"And I never will." She vowed before sighing. "I'm so sorry about what I said earlier, it was a horrible lie." He looked surprised and relieved.

"So you don't believe that I would make a terrible father?" He asked her and their friends gasped, but they ignored them. This was their moment, their chance to fix things and everyone understood that.

"Of course not. I know that you'd be an amazing one, which is why I think that we should break up." He wasn't surprised this time.

"Because you don't want to have children." He stated sadly.

"It was my final decision, but after almost losing you tonight I realized that I can't live without you. So I am willing to change my mind, in the future, if it meant that I get to be with you. I just... I need more time." She told him and his expression turned to a happy one.

"So what you're saying is that you might want them?" He asked just to clarify.

"I't was never that I truly didn't want them, I'm just scared. I watched both my parents lose their children and that's the kind of pain I never want to go through. So, I'm not planning on having children, but if it happens, I will look on the bright side and be happy." She explained and he smiled.

"That's good enough for me." She was surprised by his reply.

"Are you sure that you want to give up something you've always wanted just to be with me? That's a big sacrifice." She asked him unsurely and he looked at her adoringly.

"After all this time, after everything we've been through, do you really believe that there's something that could make me chose not to be with you?" He asked with raised eyebrows and she smiled.

"I just want to know that you aren't doing this for me, that you truly believe that you can be happy." She replied, still unsure and insecure.

"I know that I can be happy as long as I am with you. And I respect your decision not to have kids as I understand it. I won't pressure you, Flora. Whenever you're ready, if you're ready at all, we'll think about having children. For now, I'll just enjoy the company of my two favorite nieces." His heartfelt confession earned him a passionate kiss that made their friends clap for them and Riven even yelled "Nice one, man."

"You guys are impossible." Flora said after they broke apart and she looked at her smirking friends.

"And you two are so adorable, I hope you don't contagiate my child." Stella joked and Musa rolled her eyes.

"Helia, man, I'm so sorry for you know, fighting you and all. You might have had your heart frozen, but I have not excuse for acting like a jerk." Riven apologized and Helia cast him a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, man. I know why you did it." He replied and the Winx were curious by the knowing look the two shared.

"Do you? Because I would love to know why he has been acting like a jerk." Musa said while crossing her arms and Helia cast Riven a good luck look.

"I guess that I should start by apologizing. Musa, I'm so sorry that I've been ignoring you and treating you badly. I shouldn't have, but I was afraid that my nervousness would make me tell you about the surprise I've been planning for the past few weeks." He confessed and her face softened, though her arms were still crossed.

"This better be an awesome surprise." She told him and he smirked.

"I'm sure that it will take your breath away. Now, before I get started, let me apologize once again and tell you that I love you and you've literally been the light amongst all of the darkness in my life. You were there for me in ways no one else was, like when my mother died. You make me happy, Musa, and I want to spend the rest of my life doing the same for you." With his last words, she started picking up on what he meant and her arms fell to her side while she stared at him in disbelief.

"Come on, guys." He called the specialists and Bloom used her magic to conjure some instruments, per Sky's request. The blonde specialist and Brandon grabbed the guitars, Helia the keyboard and Thoren went to the drummers. Riven went to the microphone and he smiled brightly while looking at Musa.

"This is for you, Musa. The most talented and beautiful singer in all of the magic dimension. " He said before the specialists started doing a performance of "Marry Me" ( by Bruno Mars). The Winx clapped and cheered during the song, each smiling brightly towards their partners. By the end, Riven kneeled down and pulled out the beautiful ring that he had picked with Helia's help.

"So, what do you say? Will you marry me?" He asked her and the music fairy went back to crossing her arms.

"You are... unbelievable!" She exclaimed angrily and his smile faded. "You ignored me for weeks, made me worry that I had done something wrong or that I was mistaken to think that we were in a good place."

"I see. If it's a no, can you tell me in advance because this is really uncomfortable." He said after taking a deep breath and she looked at him with annoyance.

"You're seriously the most annoying, irrational and difficult guy that there is." She yelled angrily before her face softened. "But you're my annoying guy and for some strange reason, call it fate or God, I fell in love you. So that's a yes." She told him and everyone clapped while he stood up. "Now let me see that ring." She demanded and he approached her speechlessly. She looked at the silver ring where instead of a diamond there was a music note and she smiled. "I'm impressed. It's so... perfect." He smiled at her compliment.

"And so are you. Thank you for accepting my proposal, I was starting to get worried there." She laughed at his expression before placing her arms around his neck.

"Can I assume that you've already asked for my father's permission?" She asked him and he nodded. "You were right before, your surprise did take my breath away."

"I love you so much." He confessed before they kissed passionately. Afterwards, the happy couple turned back to their friends, who congratulated them and both felt happier than ever. Everything felt so perfect, so right, like it was all falling into place.

So, what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy Aisha X Nabu + Krystal + her parents? Are you happy that Therendor didn't die? I'll confess that I intended to kill him at first, but I decided against it. There are so many characters that I decided not to kill in the end.

What about TxT scenes? Weren't they sweet? And MuRI? Were you expecting a proposal coming from these two? I had it planned for a while. Hope you enjoyed it.

And of course, what about FXH? Do you think that Helia's decision was fitting to his character? At least these two will have some happy moments from now on.


	32. Joy and Hope

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The time has come for the Winx to celebrate a joyful occasion: Tecna and Timmy's wedding. It's a day when things seem like they're finally moving forward and the Winx believe that the battle is over. But is it truly?

Hello, darling readers! Here I am with another chapter, the last one should come by next week. We've reached the end of the line now and all there's left is tying up all the loose ends. This chapter and the next one will be all about joy and happiness, so enjoy! 

I want to thank everyone who read this story, voted and added in kudos. It's great to know people are enjoying reading it and were able to put up with such a long and complicated story. 

I've reread many chapters of this story and every time I find myself amazed and surprised at how good it turned out, I remember when it was just a dream. This story's my first successful one and also the one that introduced a new style of writing and allowed me to make use of my historical knowledges from college.

Happy Reading!

5 weeks later...

It had been five weeks since the Winx and Specialists had traveled to Fearwood in order to retrieve the final item to forge the Legendarium key. A lot had happened since then, mostly good things. Locking the Legendarium had been hard, the Trix had become even more protective ever since the key was made and also more ruthless. Many times they would send out surprise attacks towards Alfea, though the Winx managed to keep them at bay.

Flora found herself becoming their new target and she understood how Bloom must have felt for so many years. Eventually they were so concerned by her safety that she was forced to stay at Alfea, hardly ever going out, until the situation was settled. She didn't mind much, though, since Helia was there to keep her company. Their relationship improved a lot ever since they finally settled down what their future would be like.

They kept helping Tecna and Timmy care for their little girl as well as Aisha and Nabu. Every time she would see Helia with them, she would pray to God that one day she could get over her fears and be in the right place to have a child. She knew that Helia had given it up for her and it didn't feel fair. She also knew that he loved kids more than anything and wished to have his own someday. So she prayed and prayed.

She also prayed for her parents, hoping that they had managed to forgive each other and find the happiness she so desperately wanted them to find. She knew that their situation was far from being easy, but she had watched for 16 years as they were in love, but never together for sure. She hoped that Henry had been able to convince France to accept Catherine as the new queen.

Part of her wished that she could be there for them and she missed all the people she had left behind. Greer, Kenna, Lola and Mary. Her dear sister in law who had suffered so much and who needed comfort now. She knew that Mary was far from being over Will's death and she wasn't close either, though it had been over 6 years. When you love someone that much, it's impossible to forget them and moving on takes longer.

Helia understood that better than anyone now and she counted on him to comfort her when she was feeling down as she comforted him when he had more nightmares about her death. She told him more stories about her childhood, about Will, Leonardo and her parents. It felt good, sharing these memories that she carried in her heart and she found herself being able to mention their names without her voice shaking and not crying when she spoke of her dead loved ones.

Their sessions with Dr. Gillian Foster continued and she found herself improving with each one. Helia too got a lot better, after two weeks he stopped having panic attacks and after 5, his nightmares didn't occur overnight, but only a few days a week. It was a great change and both embraced it and seized their nights to sleep comfortably next to each other.

One subject that they still refused to discuss was James. He was their Achiles' heel, the one thing that could bring their relationship down. So they kept their agreement not to mention him, to forget about him as if Flora had never been forced to marry him. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be rather easy and the nature fairy barely had memories of her marriage at all. She guessed it was because she loved Helia so much that she couldn't picture herself being with anyone else.

Flora and Helia weren't the only couple that had gone through a hard time and was on their way to recovery, Tecna and Timmy were too. After she had awaken from her coma, it had taken weeks for things to go back to normal with them and they still weren't there. The Winx worried when they saw the usually cheerful technology couple looking so down, sometimes even avoiding each other, but there was nothing that they could do.

After seeing how much their friend's relationship improved, Tecna suggested that they started seeing Dr. Foster as well and Timmy agreed, knowing that they had to find a way to work things out for Olivia's sake. The young child grew more with each day and her parents were having trouble handling her. Thankfully, their friends understood that they needed help and so Flora and Helia were always there to take care of baby Olivia so that they could have some time for themselves.

After a few sessions, their relationship had improved a lot and Timmy's constant nightmares of the day she had almost died and the week that followed had reduced greatly. There were memories of the Omega Dimension too, ones that they had tried to push back for 3 years, but now had resurfaced. Dr. Foster suggested that they talked more about it, affirming how unhealthy it had been to pretend like it never happened when it had haunted them both for years.

Just as these two incidents, many others came back to them. Moments of when they nearly lost each other or when they faced obstacles were brought to conversation and Tecna and Timmy found themselves feeling like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders and like they could finally truly be together.

Fights became constant during those sessions, which was something rare for them, but they found out that it was needed. They managed to settle things down and have deep conversations about their relationship. After all, though they had been together for years, neither Tecna nor Timmy were the type to be talking much about their relationship or discussing important things. They were more reserved and, most of all, they were guided by logic. So getting used to a life so different from what they planned was no easy task.

The subject of having a child came up very often, since they both thought to be unprepared for such a large change in their lives. But they knew it was far too late to be discussing the topic when Olivia was already there and needing them. So they tried to live their new lives as best as possible and take care of their precious baby girl as best as they could.

Their parents were very helpful in the matter. After meeting, Tecna's parents bonded with Timmy's easily and so they became great friends and were willing to help the two youngs as much as they could. Timmy's mother, Claire, would come to Alfea and babysit Olivia when Flora and Helia were busy and Tecna's parents would provide them with everything they would need to take care of a child.

Headmaster Saladin and Miss. Faragonda were also there to help them. Just like with Aisha, Tecna was offered a teaching position, which she eventually declined since she had different plans in mind. Hugo, Timmy's father, had kindly offered her to help him with his newest inventions after seeing how bright and powerful the technology fairy was and she eagerly agreed. Timmy accepted Saladin's offer to become the expert at battle strategy in Red Fountain.

Since both of their parents were a bit old fashioned, the couple decided to keep up with their wedding plans as the same before Tecna fell into her coma. Though there was no longer a risk of her suddenly dying, the technology couple agreed that they wanted to get married as soon as possible, specially because they believed that it was wrong to have a child before getting married.

So Stella had a hard time trying to get all of the arrangement ready in time, since she was the wedding planner. She was told about their decision 2 weeks after Tecna woke up and she had hurried it up to make the best wedding that she could. The first thing was to decide the place, which both Tecna and Timmy had agreed on the beach of the Resort Real, where they had made up after their biggest and longest lasting fight. It was a special place in both their hearts and they had traveled there many times as a couple and many memorables moments were spent there.

The choosing of the best man and the maid of honor was easy, Musa and Riven were the first choice for the couple. The other Winx and Specialists, plus Daphne and Thoren, were to be a part of it as well. Stella designed beautiful lavender colored dresses for the girls and teal suits for the men. Even baby Olivia and Lana were given a beautiful baby outfits in teal and lavender, the technology couple favorite colors.

Everytime she remembered when she had asked them what those were, a smile would come to Stella's face. Tecna had responded lavender, as they already knew, but Timmy's response was unexpected. She would have guessed that he'd say orange, but instead he said teal because it was the color of Tecna's eyes. It was a sweet and romantic moment that they would forever remember.

Next came the choice of flowers, songs and other decorations that was left to Stella, with Tecna and Timmy's approval. The choosing of the food caused a huge argument, since pregnant Stella had a desire for sweets and ended up choosing only desserts for the guests. It took Brandon to convince her to choose something salty, though the technology couple was forced to agree not to choose anything that would make the princess nauseous. With her pregnancy advancing, she was having trouble with smells and so none of the guests were allowed to wear perfume on the day of the wedding.

The others didn't understand how Brandon was handling his grumpy and irritating girlfriend, but they guessed love can be blind. The brunette specialist told them many times about how impossible she was, but since she was carrying their child, he was ready to forgive her for her behavior.

"Are you freaking kidding me?" A mad Stella screamed at Bloom as they stood near one of the tables of the wedding reception. 3 weeks after she was told of Tecna and Timmy's decision of keeping their wedding, the day had finally arrived. The Winx were rushing on taking care of the final details; with Musa reorganizing the songs list and Stella, Aisha and Bloom finishing the decorations of the tables. Flora was nowhere to be seen, but the fairy of the sun was much too stressed to be worrying about her whereabouts.

"Jeez, calm down, Stella." Aisha told her impatiently and her eyes grew even wider.

"I clearly told you to make the tables lavender, not orange!" Stella yelled and Bloom sighed.

"No, Stell, you said orange." She argued against better judgement, but once she noticed Stella's face growing angrier, she quickly reassured her. "Doesn't matter, I'll fix it."

"You'd better. This place looks horrible like this!" The sun fairy replied with arms crossed over her chest and Aisha rolled her eyes. Bloom used her magic to turn all the tables into lavender before looking back at Stella.

"There you go. Happy now?" She asked and Stella uncrossed her arms while she looked at the tables with a small smile.

"Now everything's perfect." She mused before her expression turned into a frown." Except that we're missing the flowers. Where the hell is Flora?" She screamed while looking around madly and this time both Aisha and Bloom rolled their eyes.

"Don't know, haven't seen her in a while." Bloom commented while Aisha smirked.

"She must be with Helia, I wouldn't doubt if these two have been making out and completely forgot about the wedding." Stella looked absolutely mad.

"I'm going to kill her." She muttered coldly just as Flora appeared with baby Lana in her arms. The nature fairy wore her bridesmaid dress and her hair was let down.

"There you girls are! I've been looking for you." Flora said breathlessly as she approached them and Stella raised her eyebrows.

"Where the hell have you been?" She questioned sternly and Flora smiled.

"I was picking the flowers when I found this little princess." Was her response as she gazed sweetly at the little girl in her arms.

"I thought Nabu was taking care of her." Aisha told her, confused.

"Oh, he was. But he somehow lost her, since she's really fast these days, so I helped him find her. Guess where she was!" Flora replied excitedly and they were even more confused.

"Where?" Bloom asked curiously while casting a warning glance at Stella.

"She was crawling her way into the see. Can you imagine?" Flora told them and Aisha's eyes widened.

"She did what?" She asked worriedly and Bloom and Stella laughed.

"Must be in her genes. Her mother is a water fairy after all." Bloom commented and Aisha looked incredulously at her daughter.

"So you were going for a swim, were you, my little mermaid? Without me!" Aisha approached Flora while talking to the young child, who laughed and extended her arms.

"Here. Take her so that I can put the flowers." Flora handed her the baby to Aisha, who held her close. The three friends watched as the nature fairy used her powers to make many flower pots appear on the tables, filled with orchids and white roses.

"Now that's what I call great work. Thanks, Flo." Stella thanked her afterwards and they hugged while Aisha and Bloom shared desperate looks.

"No problem, Stell. Is there anything else?" Flora asked after they pulled apart and Stella looked thoughtful for a minute.

"I don't think so. We're ready!" She replied and the other three fairies let out sighs of relief.

"Thank goodness." Bloom said while Aisha picked her phone.

"Here, I'll text Tecna and tell her to come." She told them before quickly doing so.

"I can't wait to see her in that dress you designed, it's beautiful." Flora excitedly told Stella and teh blonde princess clapped her hands.

"I know. She'll be the most beautiful bride!" She added and a few tears fell down her face. "Ah, how I hate these hormones. They turn me into a waterfall one second and a volcano the next." She complained and the others laughed.

"You'd better get used to it, Stell, cause you still have 5 more months to go." Bloom warned her and Stella placed a hand on her stomach.

"I know. Can't she hurry it up and come out already?" The sun fairy complained and Bloom smiled while Aisha looked slightly panicked.

"It better be a she. If I lose this bet, Nabu will never let me forget it!" She told them and Flora and Bloom raised their eyebrows.

"You two bet on the sex of Stella's baby?" The nature fairy asked her incredulously and Aisha shrugged her shoulders.

"We had one before Lana was born, why do you think that I spent our summer vocations locked in the palace?" She replied and Flora shook her head while Bloom looked interested.

"So, if I wanted to join in, what's the prize?"Flora glared at her and Aisha smiled.

"We've bet on a night at the Frutti Music Bar. Losers will pay for all the smoothies." She told Bloom and the fairy of the dragon flame looked thoughtful before she nodded.

"I'm in. But I think it will be a boy." She and Aisha shook hands while Flora watched them with a stern expression.

"Look at you two, making profit out of my unborn child." Stella told them with a disapproving look and Aisha raised her eyebrows.

"Look who's talking. You and Brandon were the first to join in, if you've forgotten." Flora gasped before turning to Stella.

"Even you?" She asked and Stella blushed while looking down. Aisha's phone buzzed, so she looked at the message she had just received from Tecna.

"Girls, Tecna's on her way." She told them before putting her phone into her purse. "Come on, Flo. This will be fun! Can you imagine Nabu and Brandon's faces when it turns out to be a girl?" She added excitedly and Flora sighed.

"Ah, what the hell. I'll join in and I'm with Bloom. It's definitely going to be a boy." Once the initial shock of her agreement passed, their faces turned to confusion.

"What makes you so sure?" Stella asked defiantly and Flora smiled.

"We have too many girls around here." Was her simply response and before Stella could argue, they heard something that they had never heard before.

"Giwl." Everyone turned to the small child in Aisha's arms with widened eyes.

"Did she just...?" Bloom asked and little Lana repeated her first word ever.

"Oh My God!" Flora screamed and Aisha just stared.

"She said her first words." She said incredulously. It's not as if Lana was a silent baby, much to the contrary, but she usually only spoke in baby talk and undetermined sounds. Never had she said a real world before.

"Say it again, little Lana." Flora told her excitedly and the baby laughed before repeating it.

"See now? Even Lana agrees that it will be a girl!" Stella told her friends with a victorious smile.

"It's amazing, Aisha." Bloom told the proud mother while placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I have to tell Nabu." Aisha said, coming out of her daze. "I'll meet you at the main tent later." And then she was gone with little Lana in her arms.

"Hey, girls." Tecna arrived at the scene a few minutes later and she was surprised to find three silent and frozen friends. "Is everything okay?" She asked in concern and Flora was the first to break out of her daze.

"Everything's fine, Tecna. It's just... Lana said her first words!" She told her friend excitedly and Tecna's eyes widened.

"Really? What did she say?" She curiously asked them while trying to balance her huge bag and the little girl that lay half asleep in her arms.

"She said 'girl'." Stella told her and, upon seeing her confused expression, quickly explained. "We were debating on whether my child will be a boy or a girl and she agreed with me and Aisha."

"That's incredible! Aisha must be so happy." Tecna told them with a smile.

"She just left to tell Nabu. We should get started, the wedding will be in less than two hours." Stella told her while looking panicked.

"Okay, can you take her, Flo?" The technology fairy mentioned to her daughter and Flora nodded before gently picking up the little girl of 6 weeks.

"Have you fed her already?" She asked Tecna quietly, trying not to awake the sleeping child.

"Yes, all that's left now is hope that she sleeps until the wedding starts." Tecna replied after nodding and Stella looked at the little girl closely.

"She's truly so beautiful, Tecna. I hope my little girl will be just as cute as she is." Tecna looked at her with a thankful smile.

"Thanks, Stell. I'm sure she will be." She replied and Bloom smiled at both her friends.

"I also love the name Olivia, it's perfect for her." Tecna returned the smile.

"I know. One of Timmy's great ideas." She replied before they started moving towards the tent where she was supposed to get ready. It was lavender and smelled great, since Flora had placed many flowers inside. Musa was there waiting for them along with Daphne.

"Hey, girl. How are you feeling?" Musa asked after she and Tecna hugged tightly and the technology fairy had a dreamy smile on her face.

"This all feels too good to be true." She told them and Bloom and Flora smiled brightly upon seeing her happiness.

"Oh, Tec. But it is true and I'm so happy for you." Musa gently told her before hugging her once again.

"Wow." Stella said and they turned to look at her in concern. Her hand was placed on her stomach and there was a strange expression on her face.

"Stella? Is everything alright?" Bloom worriedly asked her and she looked at them seeming confused.

"I think so. I just felt... I don't know." She replied before she gasped.

"Should we call Dr. Cameron?" Flora asked, mentioning to the friendly doctor that they had met during their visit to earth many weeks before. She had been so gentle and kind with Tecna that Stella and Brandon had decided that she'd be the perfect doctor for them. So she had traveled to Solaria, with Nebula's permission, and had become Stella's personal doctor. When the news of Tecna and Timmy's wedding came, she was invited and so she was standing outside with the few early guests, which included the bride and groom's parents and the Winx and Specialists.

"I don't think it's necessary, girls. I was in shock because this never happened before, but I think that the baby just kicked." Stella reassured them and once again their eyes went wide.

"Really? Oh, can I feel it?" Flora excitedly asked and Stella smiled before mentioning for her to step closer. The sun fairy guided her hands to her stomach and Flora smiled once she felt a bit of movement.

"It's incredible. I remember when little Lana first kicked, it's hard to believe that it's been so long." She said in amazement and the others got excited.

"Can I feel it too?" Musa asked and Stella nodded. Flora stepped aside so that she could feel the baby kick and Bloom, Daphne and Tecna watched with smiles.

"This sure is a big day." Bloom commented and Flora nodded.

"Indeed. Lana said her first words, Stella's baby kicked for the first time and Helia and I, well..." Sha paused for a second with a dreamy smile on her face and Musa and Stella stopped gushing about the baby to look at her."We've decided to move in." She told them excitedly.

"I thought you guys were already living together." Musa told her confusingly and Flora shook her head.

"Not really. He's been staying at Red Fountain while I stay at Alfea, though most nights we've spent together. So we've decided that it's best if we just move in at once, we've even researched for houses in Limphea near my parents'." She explained with a shy smile.

"Ah, Flo, that's such great news!" Bloom told her with a bright smile.

"I'm so happy that everything's working out for you guys, you two sure deserve to be happy." Musa added and Flora smiled thankfully at them.

"Of course they do. And soon they'll be getting married and having babies! Can you guys imagine how cute their children would be?" Stella got excited and she missed the look shared between the other three or the way Flora's face fell.

"Stella!" Bloom yelled warningly and the fairy of the sun gasped, realizing her mistake.

"Flora, I'm so sorry. I so didn't mean to bring it up, it's just that I see how great you are with Lana and Olivia and I can only think of what a wonderful mother you'd become." Stella sincerely apologized and Flora smiled sadly.

"I appreciate you thinking that way, Stel, but my opinion hasn't changed. I don't think I'll ever become a mother and I'm okay with that." She told her rather somberly and Stella sighed. An uncomfortable silence filled the room as no one knew what else to say.

"We really should get started, we have less than two hours." Tecna reminded them after about three minutes and Stella jumped.

"Oh my! That's not enough time. We'll have to postpone the wedding." She started freaking out and Bloom, Flora and Musa laughed.

With Aisha...

The fairy of waves rushed through the beach trying to find Nabu to tell him the great news. It took a while, but she finally found him in Timmy's tent, where the specialists were helping him get ready for the wedding. The 7 men were greatly surprised when Aisha burst through the doors.

"Aisha? Is everything okay?" Nabu asked her, concerned, and he stood up from his chair.

"Everything's fine, more than fine actually." She excitedly told him and he raised his eyebrows.

"Are you sure I shouldn't be worried? You're acting weird." He told her and she smiled.

"Nabu, Lana just said her first words!" She told him with a proud smile and his eyes widened.

"She did?" He asked her and she nodded excitedly.

"Yes. Totally caught us by surprise, this little one." She replied with a huge smile and he smiled as well.

"What great news!" Sky said from his sitting position between Brandon and Riven.

"Yeah, congratulations." Brandon told them before his phone rang and he picked it up. Seeing the message that he had just gotten from Stella, his eyes widened." Wow. Guys, the baby just kicked." He told them just as excitedly as Aisha.

"You can go see Stella, Brandon. We'll be fine here." Timmy told him with a nervous smile and Brandon stood up and gave his friends a huge smile. "Wait! While you're there, can you make sure that Tecna's okay? I wouldn't want to go through with this wedding unless I knew for sure that she will follow through." He added a bit panicky and Riven rolled his eyes.

"Timmy, your nervousness is starting to get annoying. Tecna wouldn't be here unless she truly desired to marry you, so stop acting like a child and man up!" The maroon haired specialist told him sternly while shaking him and Timmy nodded.

"Okay, you're right. I've never been so nervous in my life." Timmy replied weakly before sitting down.

"Don't worry, Timmy. I know for a fact that Tecna loves you and she wants to marry you." Aisha gently told him and he cast her a thankful smile.

"Shall we talk outside?" Nabu asked her and she nodded. They left Timmy, Riven, Sky, Helia and Thoren after giving the groom encouraging words. For a few minutes they walked along the beach until they reached the ocean. "So, what did Lana say?" He asked her once they stopped to admire it.

"She said 'girl' while we were talking about Stella's baby." Aisha replied and he gave Lana a playful look.

"So you really want mommy to win this bet, do you, my little mermaid?" He asked her and she laughed before repeating her first word, as if to reinforce her point.

"Yep. She's on my side." Aisha playfully said before she kissed her forehead.

"You know, it amazes me how much she is like you." Nabu told her while looking in adoration at their baby girl, who was much too distracted watching the seagulls in the water.

"But she's like you too. She can be calm and tranquil and she helps me calm down when I'm stressed or angry." She told him gently while holding his hand.

"And she's got my hair." He joked, mentioning to her small head of reddish brown hair.

"And that too." Aisha said after laughing."She's growing up so fast, Nabu, it scares me sometimes." He told her of her worries and his expression mirrored hers.

"I know, Aisha. It scares me too, I feel like this is happening too fast and we won't have much time with her." He voiced his concerns.

"I've been thinking recently about what we talked about during our last night in France." She told him unsurely and he smiled upon recalling that night.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" He asked her expectantly and she smiled.

"I think that we should start trying." She told him and he smiled brightly before pulling her in for a passionate kiss. Lana complained from being squished, but they ignored her. "Is that your way of saying that you agree?" Aisha asked him after they pulled apart.

"Yes. I believe that we're ready. After all, when our baby comes, Lana will be over one year old, so it shouldn't be too hard. Besides, you're such an amazing mother, Aisha." He told her gently and her smile enlarged.

"You're too sweet. You're the one who's amazing at parenting." She told him and he shook his head before sighing.

"How about we agree that we're both great parents and we're ready to have another baby?" He asked her and she nodded.

"Sounds good to me." She replied and Lana spoke once again, attempting to call their attention.

"Baby." She said and both parents looked at her with amazement.

"That's right, Lana. You're going to get a baby brother or sister. Isn't it exciting?" Aisha said while rocking her and she laughed.

"She'll be a great big sister, I'm sure of it." Nabu asked with a smile towards their daughter. They spent the next few minutes celebrating their decision while enjoying being so close to the sea.

1 hour later...

Tecna stood with her best friends inside her tent, ready for her wedding day. She wore a beautiful white gown decorated with orchids at the skirt and with a lavender lace on the bodice. Her shoulder length pink hair was tied in a loose bun and she wore lavender heels that Musa had enchanted to play the wedding march.

"You look absolutely stunning, Tecna!" Flora gushed while she conjured the bouquet filled with orchids.

"Don't you think that it's too much?" Tecna asked unsurely and the other Winx gave her bright smiles.

"Of course not. It's perfect, Tec. I'm sure that Timmy won't be able to take his eyes off you." Musa reassured her before she smirked. The technology fairy blushed before taking another look at herself in the huge mirror.

"I don't know, it just feels like something is missing." She said and her mother, who had been sitting while the Winx prepared her, stood up.

"And there is. I don't know how I almost forgot about it, but here it is." She told them while approaching Tecna. In her hands she held the veil and a beautiful silver tiara with emerald garnishments.

"That's so beautiful!" Stella gushed and Maghnetia smiled.

"It belonged to my mother. She and I wore it on our wedding days. I couldn't miss this perfect opportunity of giving it to you, dear Tecna." She hugged Tecna carefully before placing the veil and the tiara on her head.

"Thanks, mom. For everything." The sound of bells interrupted Maghnetia's reply and everyone looked around excitedly.

"It's time. Are you ready?" Bloom asked her and Tecna nodded nervously. One by one, the Winx left the tent, with Tecna staying behind with her mother. They met the specialists outside and each greeted their partners quickly before music started playing. Flora and Helia were the first to enter the great tent where the wedding was to be performed. Baby Olivia, now awake, lay comfortably in the nature fairy's arms as she walked proudly towards the altar, where Timmy nervously stood near Eldora, who would perform the ceremony.

The fairy godmother had become great friends with the Winx during their mission to lock the Legendarium and so Tecna had chosen her to be the one to perform the ceremony. Selina was present too, standing amongst the crowd, and she too had become friends with the fairy.

The Winx had discovered that, on the day of their mission to Earth, Selina had realized just how evil the Trix were once Daphne tried to kill Tecna, Timmy and Flora. She revealed to them that she had decided not to work with them anymore, but they had threatened her and later put a spell on her to make sure she remained on their side.

Only a few days before Tecna's wedding, the Winx had finally managed to stop the Trix from spreading more chaos and destruction. They had trapped them in an infinity box and Bloom had later given it to Rumpelstiltskin, a dangerous dwarf who had stolen Musa's voice after the Trix's command and had refused to give it back unless the fairies found something just as valuable. At first they had traded it for the Legendarium key, but since it was an important item, they had later given him the Trix in return for said key.

With the Trix trapped, Selina had been free from the spell controlling her and she had apologized to the fairies multiple times and Bloom chose to forgive her, knowing how hard her life had been after Eldora had explained everything to them. Flora, who had almost died because of her, had also forgiven her, being the gentle person that she was. So Selina's redemption began and in the end she was the one who was able to lock the Legendarium forever and finally bring peace to the Magic Dimension.

After Flora and Helia, Bloom and Sky walked towards the altar. Both looked amazing with their designed clothing and the shining crowns on their heads. With Daphne and Thoren's relationship growing closer every day, they were finally able to be together without concerns for the future. Stella and Brandon came next, followed shortly by Daphne and Thoren. Everyone took notice of the fairy of the sun's large stomach and those who were unaware of her pregnancy were left surprised. A few fairies that had had crushes on Brandon eyes her angrily while most guests eyed the young couple with happiness.

Aisha and Nabu came next with baby Lana. The little girl looked adorable with her lavender dress with a teal skirt and a small crown on her head. She looked around the room curiously, letting out a few baby noises and laughing and waving when she saw her beloved grandparents. The last to come before Tecna and her parents were Musa and Riven, the maid of honor and the best man. Her dress was different from the other girl's, instead of a simple lavender dress decorated with flowers, her skirt was red and there were red music notes decorating the bodice. She looked beautiful and so many guests admired her.

At last, Tecna entered the room with her parents on each side. They walked slowly towards the altar with Tecna's shoes playing the wedding march. Throughout the way, she and Timmy didn't take their eyes off each other, both too amazed and happy that their day had finally arrived. After reaching the altar, Timmy took Tecna's hand and they looked at Eldora happily. The room fell silent as the wedding began.

"Today is a day of joy and a day of hope." Eldora began her speech and Tecna and Timmy smiled brightly at her while holding each other's hand tighter. Baby Olivia let out a cry, but Flora was quick to soothe her. "We are all here gathered to celebrate the union of these two people who have found love and comfort in each other. If you ask me, there couldn't be a day better than that of a wedding." Many people laughed at her comment and even the bride and groom had fun with her speech.

"First of all I want to wish you the happiness and joy that you two deserve. I know how hard it can be to find it, so make sure to never forget how lucky you are." There was a pause as the technology couple looked lovingly at each other and their friends smiled upon seeing the unspoken promise of love. "Now, shall we get started on the vows?" Eldora then asked them and Timmy nodded.

"Tecna, words cannot describe how much you mean to me or how much I love you. These last few years by your side, as your friend, boyfriend and later fiancée, have been the greatest of my 've been through many challenges, but we've managed to come out stronger and more united than ever.

So many times I thought that I was going to lose you and it made my heart ache, but what matters most is that we're here together and ready to celebrate the best day of our lives. This is our chance to be happy and I want to make sure that we embrace it." By the time he finished his speech, tears were falling down Tecna's face and some of the guests were crying too. Timmy's words were perfect and beautiful and the Winx and specialists new someone who probably helped him form his speech. Flora cast a smile towards her boyfriend and he wrapped an arm around her.

"Now, Tecna?" Eldora asked the technology fairy, who cleaned a few tears.

"I don't know how I can speak after such a beautiful and heartfelt speech." She started and many people laughed while Timmy smiled at her. Before she could say anything else, there was a flash of light that faded away to reveal someone they had never thought that they'd see again.

"Mary?" A shocked Flora asked the brunette who had just appeared. By her side were Lola and Collin, with a baby wrapped in a blue blanket in her arms.

"Flora! I'm so glad that I've found you, I wasn't so sure if this was going to work." She told her happily and there was silence as many guests wondered who these strangers were while the Winx and specialists tried to understand how they had gotten there.

"This place looks strange, where are we?" Lola asked while looking around.

"It's the Resort Realm. It wasn't in the book." Flora replied and many people looked puzzled. Eldora, though looked excited.

"Ah, are they surprise guests to the wedding? What an original entrance!" She asked the Winx and Flora shook her head.

"This is a wedding?" Mary asked them curiously while searching for the bride and groom. When her eyes found Tecna and Timmy, she smiled. "Congratulations, you two!" Tecna nodded as a thank you.

"I'm so sorry to interrupt, here, we'll just sit down so you can continue." Lola apologized before walking towards an available sit in the corner. Mary and Collin followed her and, after a few minutes of chaos, the wedding resumed. Tecna's speech was just as beautiful and heartfelt as Timmy's and soon it was time to exchange rings. Flora walked their way with baby Olivia, who had fallen asleep once again in the middle of the ceremony. Afterwards Eldora pronounced them husband and wife and they kissed passionately while everyone clapped. It was perfect and romantic and everything that a wedding should be.

Once the ceremony was over and the part began, Flora turned back to her sister in law, eager to find out what had happened in her old home."So, Mary, how did you get here?" She curiously asked and Mary started explaining.

"A few days after you left, Kenna finally met with us in Scotland to tell us the truth. Unfortunately, on the same day that she arrived, Elizabeth sent an attack towards my mother and she was killed. We quickly ran back to France, knowing it would be the only safe place for us." Flora was horrified to hear about the death of Marie De Guise.

"Oh My Goodness. She really was out to get us." She commented and Lola nodded.

"It was a miracle that we managed to escape, but we arrived in France safe and sound. King Henry was kind and allowed us to stay in there and he retaliated against Elizabeth. Kenna told us about your death and Catherine's, but also that the Winx would be travelling back in time so that they could take you back. Since we've seen just how much magic can do, we believed it. So we've waited for you." She finished her tale and Flora gave them a sad smile.

"I'm sorry I haven't returned. It's just that... I belong here." She told them and they nodded in understanding.

"We understand." Mary told her while smiling.

"But one thing that isn't clear is how did you end up here?" Flora asked curiously.

"I'm sure that you're aware that there actually is magic in our world, but Catherine had erased it in order to protect you,a s she claimed." Mary explained and Flora nodded. "Well, after her death, it was undone and magic went back to Paris. That's when the most unbelievable and miraculous thing happened. We found out, just a few days after we returned to Paris, that Greer's actually a fairy." Flora's eyes widened in surprise, but it made sense. She recalled a moment in the library when Greer had chosen "Tales of the Winx"(see the end of chapter 15) and it felt almost magical, she had even told them of how it seemed like the book was calling for her.

"So Greer has used her powers to send you here? Why only you and Lola have come?" She asked them and Lola continued the explanations.

"No, it was actually Catherine who sent us here. With Elizabeth constantly threatening Mary, we decided that it was best if we moved somewhere safer. That's when Mary thought of the book and the world contained in it. Since Greer had just found out that she was a fairy, she didn't know to use her powers at all. So Catherine offered to send us here, but Greer and Kenna wanted to stay there, since they both found the life in France comfortable and Bash refused to come."

"That's sure a lot to take in right now, but I'm sure that I'll get used to you being around. I promise you that I'll do everything that I can to make sure that you live a quiet and comfortable life here. Stella, Aisha or Bloom can help you find homes, since they're princesses, but I'm sure you know that you won't be able to live in a castle or be a queen anymore, Mary." The brunette nodded in understanding.

"I know that and I'm completely okay with it. After Will's death I realized that maybe I wasn't meant to be a queen and that I only wanted a quiet life for myself. So I hope that I can have that here and that I can find a way to move on." Both women sighed when thinking of the one they loved, the one they lost. There was crying, so they looked over at the small bundle in Lola's arms.

"I had almost forgotten." Flora commented while she looked adoringly at the baby.

"His name is Jean Claude. Would you like to hold him?" Lola asked and the nature fairy nodded.

"Hello, handsome." She cooed and the baby stared at her curiously with those blue eyes that looked so much like his mother's. Colin wrapped an arm around Lola while she put her head on her shoulder, both staring adoringly at their child.

Not far from where they were, Bloom and Sky, having taken a break from dancing, watched the conversation unfold. When Flora picked the baby, Sky smiled brightly while Bloom sighed. "What is it, Bloom?" He asked her worriedly.

"I just find it hard to believe that Flora doesn't want to become a mother. She's so great with kids and I can tell that she loves them." She voiced her concerns and Sky smiled at her.

"I know, sweetheart. But each one is different and after all that she's been through, the thought of children should be far from her mind. She needs to move on from her troubled past first." He told her and she nodded, agreeing.

"It isn't far from mine, you know. We have discussed this subject before and I can tell you that I do wish to have children in the future." He laughed while wrapping an arm around her waist.

"I know and so do I. But we need to think of the wedding first. We haven't even come up with good dates yet." He told her and she smiled.

"Actually, I have thought of the perfect date." She told him and he looked at her curiously. "July 17th, 5 months from now. It marks the day..." He completed her sentence with a huge smile.

"that we first met. And also the first time that I told you that I loved you." He said and both smiled as they thought of that special day that they would forever hold in their hearts.

"It's settled then. July 17th." She stated and they kissed softly before resuming dancing. Everything felt perfect, for everyone. At last, happiness had finally reached all of the Winx and they could be at peace, with no imminent threats. As Stella would probably say, 'it was about time.'.

So, what are your thoughts? Did you enjoy the TXT and FXH scenes?

What about AishaXNabuXLana? And StellaXBrandon? Did you have fun reading about the Winx and the bet? I thought it was a good idea.

What about the plots with Mary and Greer? I told you that they'd be coming back for the last few chapters.


	33. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another celebration follows the Winx's lives years after the defeat of the Trix and the Legendariun. How much has their lives changed during these peaceful, evilless years?

Good night, my dearest readers. This is it, we've reached the finishing line. A World Of Fiction is now officially over, (sobbing uncontrollably.) I can't believe it, at some point I started believing that it would never end. It seemed like a bad thing before, but now I just want to go back in time so that I can write some chapters again.

Oh, well, that's life. Some things have to end for new ones to start. The Price Of Love is the new thing in this case. I hope everyone can enjoy it as much as this one, I know that I'm loving writing it.

Thanks everyone! Good luck reading the final chapter! 

5 years later...

"Has anyone seen Livvie?" Tecna asked while she entered Aisha and Nabu's bedroom at the palace of Andros. It had been five years since their final battle against the Trix and peace had finally reached the Magic Dimension. The Winx were living their lives as they were supposed to and for once there was no imminent threat to their lives or their children's.

"I don't know, she's probably hiding somewhere with Lana." Flora answered for Aisha as the two of them were putting on beautiful dresses that had been sent by Greer as birthday gifts for the fairy of waves. Though the Winx had returned to the Magic Dimension, they never forgot about the good times they had during their stay in France and the friends that they made there. Greer, Leith, Kenna and Bash were always visiting them during special occasions, such as weddings and birthdays.

"Those two are inseparable." Aisha commented with a huge smile at the thought of how close her daughter had become to Tecna's. They had bonded over their mutual likeness for the sea, a surprise for Tecna since neither she nor Timmy were big fans of the beach or the ocean. Every year, at least once a month, Tecna and Timmy would visit Aisha and Nabu in Andros so that their children could have some fun at the beach.

"I know. But where are they?" Tecna said and before they could answer, there was loud screaming as three little boys came running into the room. The first one had brown hair and eyes and he was about 4 years old. Following him were a dark skinned little boy with curly brown hair and violet eyes and another with purple hair and dark blue eyes.

"Wait up, Aaron." The last boy yelled while he tried to catch up with his friends. The boy named Aaron barely looked back as he kep running.

"No fair. He always runs too fast." The boy with violet eyes yelled in anger and he stopped running. The three fairies in the room looked at them with amused expressions.

"What are you boys doing?" Flora asked them gently and the last boy stopped running too.

"We're hiding from the evil witches." The little boy with dark blue eyes said excitedly and Aisha laughed.

"Is that right, Liam?" Aisha asked the one with violet eyes with raised eyebrows and he looked at the ground.

"I just playing, mommy." He said innocently and the fairy of waves couldn't help but laugh. Two years after she and Nabu had decided to start trying to have another child, they were graced by the birth of Liam, their second child. Him and Lana had become really close, but the little boy preferred to play with Stella's son, Aaron. Musa and Riven had their first child a few months after Liam was born, and so the three little boys became the best of friends.

"Who are these evil witches, Nick?" Flora asked the other young boy as she kneeled down to his height.

"They trying to give us a bath, so we hiding from them." He answered instead with a frown and Flora laughed as she realized who the witches were.

"So it's bath time, huh?" Aisha asked with a mischievous smile and Liam took a few steps back while looking horrified.

"No, mommy! I already bathed, member?" He asked her nervously and she laughed before her expression turned to one of discomfort.

"Uh, the worst timing." She said while placing her hand on her enlarged stomach. It had come as a huge surprise when, just a few months before, Aisha had announced her third pregnancy. No one would have expected her, of all Winx, to be having three children, but she and Nabu made sure to show them that they were very happy with the news.

"Is little Morgan kicking now?" Flora asked her best friend while standing up and Aisha shook her head.

"Nope. He decided to have some fun trying to squish my bladder." She replied with a frown. "And it's Jaleh, not Morgan." She quickly added before moving towards the bathroom. Flora and Tecna rolled their eyes as they knew that Aisha and Nabu were constantly fighting about the baby's name. Nabu had suggested Morgan at first, but the fairy of waves had soon come up with Jaleh, an ancient name that had belonged to the greatest king of Andros.

"Nicholas!" They heard a scream after Aisha was gone and the little boy with blue eyes looked in horror at the door,

"They're coming." He whispered before looking at Liam.

"And Aaron's already gone, probably hiding." Aisha's baby boy added scaredly and Flora and Tecna shared looks, knowing what they'd have to do. The fairy of technology took out her phone and started searching for Aaron while the fairy of nature quickly ran towards Nick and picked him up.

"Auntie Flora, I need to go hiding." The young boy tried to get out of her grasp, but Flora only tightened her arms.

"I know you don't want to bath, sweetie, but you have to be nice and clean when the time comes for Livvie's party." She gently told him and looked sad.

"Will Livvie be upset if I'm not clean?" He asked her and Flora kissed the top of his head.

"She'll be very upset." She replied and he sighed before stopping with his attempts to get out of her arms.

"There you are!"Musa yelled as she and Stella entered the room, panting. They had clearly been chasing the three boys for a while.

"Where's Aaron?" Stella asked afterwards while looking around the room suspiciously.

"Tecna's searching for him." Flora told them and she let go of Nick, who ran to his mother.

"Mommy, I sorry that I ran. Auntie Flora told me that Livvie be upset if I don't bath and I don't want to make her sad." He told Musa and the fairy of music smiled at her adorable son.

"I'm glad to hear it, Nick. You're a very good boy and I love you very much." She bent down to pick him up and she showered him with kissed while the little boy laughed. Flora and Stella watched their friend with amused expressions.

Musa and Riven had been surprised with the news that she was pregnant about two years after their wedding. The two had a hard time dealing with it, but it soon became clear to everyone that Riven was actually very excited to become a father. They were surprised to find out that he was actually fond of children and wanted to have them, since he had never mentioned it before.

But it made things easier for Musa when he became a caring father to little Nick, who was named after Nicholas Gombert, their friend from France. It was said man who encouraged Riven to propose to Musa and helped the fairy of music achieve her dream of becoming a famous musician, so they had agreed on honoring him by naming their child after him.

"Look who I found in Aisha's closet." Tecna spoke up, making everyone stare at her and the frowning four year old in her arms. Once he spotted Stella, who looked at him with raised eyebrows, he hid his face in Tecna's neck.

"I guess someone's in big trooooouble." Liam sang from his spot near Flora.

"You can bet he is." Stella angrily said before she approached Tecna. The fairy of technology, not wanting to deal with her madness, carefully put down little Aaron before stepping back. The little boy was smart and quick, so just as his feet touched the ground, he started running again.

"Not again." Stella complained. They were lucky that they were also fairies, or else Flora wouldn't have been able to catch him easily by growing some vines in the middle of the room.

"Let me go!" He screamed and Flora cast him a sympathetic smile when Stella approached him.

"Now, Aaron, you need to stop running from me or else I'll ask daddy to keep an eye on you while I take care of your sister." Stella threatened and the little boy looked scared at the thought of having Brandon watch over him. It had come as a surprise to the Winx that free spirit and joker Brandon turned out to be the disciplinary parent. But the brunette specialist had proven them that he knew how to be serious and poor Aaron was sometimes scared because he could also be harsh.

When Stella and Brandon were blessed with their second child, 5 days old little Elena aka Ellie, they had decided to divide their jobs as parents so that it would be easier. Therefore, Stella was in charge of keeping an eye on Aaron while Brandon spent most of his time with the newborn baby girl. It had actually been his idea and, though he preferred children to babies, Aaron was a handful of work and so Stella was forced to deal with him.

"No, please. I'll be good, I promise." The little boy all but begged and this caused the fairy of the sun to smile.

"Okay, then. So now it's time for you to take a bath so that you can be nice and clean for Livvie's party." She told him firmly and this time he made no movements to run away as she picked him up. Seeing how upset she looked, Stella decided to cheer him up. "Hey, don't be sad, aftewards you can play with Nick and Liam for the rest of the day." His face lightened up and Musa, Tecna and Flora laughed.

"Oh, my, look at the time!" Tecna said while staring at her phone, having just received a message from Timmy. "The party's supposed to be starting in two hours and I have no idea where Olivia is." She complained stressfully.

"She and Lana are with they guys. We saw them cheering up on Riven and Sky's big fight when were looking for these two." Musa told her and Stella rolled her eyes.

"They need to stop teaching them how to fight, soon they'll be asking for swords on their birthdays." She complained and Flora glared at her.

"Hey, I take offence." She argued and the fairy of the sun was quick to send her an apologizing look.

"You know I didn't mean it like that, Flo." She told the nature fairy, who was unable to reply due to her phone ringing. She looked at the message from Mary and smiled.

"Mary and Lola are on their way." She told her friends, who smiled too.

"Great! We still need to ask her about what's going on with Nex." Stella excitedly said and her three friends rolled their eyes. Even after years, the fairy of the sun hadn't changed at all. But they would be lying if they said that they weren't the least bit curious about what was happening between the former queen of Scotland and the newly appointed head guard of Andros.

"And she'll probably bring Jean Claude and Julian, so you can play with them too." Musa told Nick, who looked just as excited as Stella with the news.

"Yay! I love playing with Julian." The little boy cheered as did Liam.

"I must be going now, see you girls at the party." Tecna said her goodbyes before she walked out of the door. Not even a minute later, it was opened once again and in came Miele. The now 18 years old was close to graduating from Alfea and she had recently gained her Enchantix powers by saving Flora from a poisonous plant that they had encountered during their latest monthly walk on the Limphea forest. She had also started dating a guy from their home planet, David, a few months before.

"Sorry to interrupt, girls, but there's someone here who has been calling for you, Flo." She told them while mentioning to the small child in her arms. The little boy had blue hair and the same green eyes as his mother.

Flora and Helia's relationship had improved greatly in the five years following their reunion after their visit to France. Over the years she had become more confident and less scared and her nightmares had stopped haunting her. Soon she became okay with the idea of getting married, her memories of the forced marriage to James having faded away, and so Helia had proposed to her and she had said yes. Only two months later they had discovered that they were going to become parents.

At first, she had freaked out, old fears resurfaced and she had fallen into depression. But it didn't take long for Helia and her friends to convince her that everything would be alright, that she would be safe and so would her child. Her pregnancy was a turbulent one, but she made through with their help. 6 months before Olivia's grand birthday party, she gave birth to twins with Helia's long blue hair and her green eyes. They were named William and Rose, in honor of two important people in her life. Both were actually Helia's ideas and Flora had easily accepted them.

"Hey, sweetie, did you miss me?" The fairy of nature cooed while approaching her sister and William. The baby extended his arms while desperately yelling at her and the adults laughed.

"He's been crying for a while now, so Helia assumed that he wanted to see you." Miele explained while handing over the little boy.

"What about Rose?" Flora asked after kissing her son in his forehead.

"She's fast asleep now." Miele told her and she nodded. "I have to get going, David asked me to meet him on the beach. I'll come back for the party, though." She added before she and Flora shared a hug and she was gone.

"Was that Miele?" Aisha asked, coming out of the bathroom.

"Yes, she came here to bring Will." Flora answered shortly and the fairy of waves sighed.

"Well, I better look for Lana, she still needs to get dressed for the party." She told them before turning to Liam. "Do you want to stay here with auntie Flora?" The young boy nodded eagerly.

"Yes. Can we go to the beach?" He asked the fairy of nature, who laughed.

"Sure, sweetie. But you have to promise that you won't go into the ocean." She advised and he frowned.

"Okaaay. But I want uncle Helia to go too, he can play with me while you stay with baby Will." He said and Flora nodded.

"I think that we can arrange that." She told him with a smile and he jumped up and down with joy.

"Let's get going, then. Good luck you two." Aisha said before turning to Musa and Stella, who were carrying their boys to the bathroom. Both cast them thankful smiles before they entered it.

Flora and Aisha walked along the halls with Will comfortable in the nature fairy's arms and Liam walking by their side. The palace was full of busy people running around and worrying about the finishing touches to Olivia's fifth birthday. It had been months since the little girl had expressed her desire to have said party on Andros and Aisha and Nabu had easily accepted her request.

The maids and workers greeted Aisha formally since she was the queen of Andros. Only one was't so formal when he met the two fairies along the corridor. "Hey you two." Nex smiled at his friends and they waved.

"Hey, Nex. Aren't you supposed to be supervising the Weaponry?" Aisha asked him with raised eyebrows.

"I was, but Nabu and the other specialists are there, so they told me I wasn't needed anymore. That's okay, since I have a meeting with...someone." He told them a bit nervously and the two fairies immediately got excited.

"Oh my God! You're going to see Mary again." Flora screamed and he was taken aback.

"How did you know? Did she tell you?" He started freaking out and they thought it was adorable.

"No, but Stella somehow figured out that you've been seeing each other for the past two weeks." Aisha answered and Flora gave him her best glare.

"So, what exactly are you doing with my sister?" She asked him firmly. Over the years since Mary, Lola and Colin decided to live in the Magic Dimension, she and Flora had become even closer and they considered each other to be family. The Winx, who liked her very much, also became close friends with the former queen of Scotland and Aisha had even suggested that she lived on Andros after Mary told them how much she loved the sea. So she had been staying in a mansion with Lola and Colin and their children.

Stella tried many times to convince here to go on dates but she claimed that she wasn't ready since she wasn't over Will's death. After five years, the Winx gave up on trying to convince her to move on and it surprised them to see that she apparently already had.

"Don't worry, I'm not playing her if that's what you mean. We went out on a few dates, but we haven't talked much about where this is going. That's why I'm kinda in a hurry, she asked me to meet her in front of the palace before the party." He explained and the nature fairy smiled brightly.

"Well, then go. And take this, it's sure to charm her." She told him before conjuring a bouquet of white roses, Mary's favorite flowers and her own too.

"Thank you. I'll see you at the party." He took the bouquet before running in the opposite direction as they were going.

As they approached the weaponry, they could her cheering coming from the specialists, Lana and Olivia. Just as they were about to open the door, Tecna came out with Livvie in her arms. The young girl had an excited smile on her face.

"Here's our birthday girl we've been looking for you for a while." Flora greeted her warmly and her smile enlarged.

"I know, mommy told me. I was just playing with Lana." She replied and Tecna looked at them with an apologizing expression.

"Sorry that we can't stay and chat, girls, but we need to get ready for a party!" She told them hurriedly and before they could even reply, she was already running away.

"Daddy!" Liam shouted as they entered the room and he ran towards Nabu, who watched Riven and Brandon swordfighting.

"Hey, buddy. Come here." The wizard called and the little boy ran towards him to give him and hug. Lana, who was sitting by his side, quickly move to hug him as well.

"Brandon, Brandon, what are you doing?" Flora asked with a warning look towards the brunette specialist.

"We're just having fun, that's all." He shrugged his shoulders and she shook her head.

"If Stella could see you, she would kill you." She told him and his face fell.

"You're not going to tell her about this, will you? Please, Flora, I beg of you!" She laughed at his desperation.

"Don't worry. I won't tell her. But where is little Ellie now?" She asked and the response came from the man she loved more than anything.

"I guess there's no use in pretending that I'm not a part of this." Helia told her and she smiled at him. Elena was wrapped in a yellow blanket and they could hear her even breathing signaling that she was asleep. By the blue haired specialist's feet there was a small crib where little Rose slept.

"I guess it's okay, honey." Flora told him before she approached him for a kiss.

"Auntie Flora, can we go now?" Liam asked after standing up from Nabu's lap.

"Go where, Liam?" Lana asked him curiously and the little boy got excited.

"To the beach. Auntie Flora and Uncle Helia are taking us!" He told his big sister and her face lightened up.

"Yaay!" She stood up as well, but Aisha approached them.

"I'm afraid you can't go with your brother, sweetie. You're not ready for the party yet." She explained to the little girl and Lana frowned and crossed her arms.

"But I want to go to the beach." She complained and both her parents laughed.

"We can go there later. Now, give me a kiss before you go with mommy." Nabu told her and she reluctantly gave him a kiss on the cheek before taking Aisha's extended hand.

"Goodbye, Liam, have fun and be careful." Aisha warned the little boy before she and Lana left.

"Now can we go?" He once again asked Flora while giving her his best innocent face.

"Let me just ask uncle Helia if he wants to go too." She told him before turning back to her husband.

"Of course I'm going. But who's going to watch over the twins?" He asked her and she looked around the room.

"I can do it, Daphne disappeared with little Maggie a while ago, so I have nothing better to do." Thoren told them from his spot by Timmy's side. His relationship with Daphne had grown over the years since they met, to Bloom and Sky's great happiness. They had been graced with their first child, Margaret, an year before and they had (finally) gotten married a few months before Olivia's grand party.

"Thanks, Thoren. I think that I'll take Will with us, he doesn't seem like he wants to be apart from us right now." Flora told him while Helia handed over the crib to the king of Domino.

"Call us if she wakes up." He demanded and Thoren nodded while looking at the sleeping child.

"No problem." He gave them a reassuring smile. They heard loud crying and Timmy sighed.

"Not now." He whispered before looking at the crib that rested on his feet. Tecna and Timmy had agreed that they weren't ready to have anymore children after Olivia, at least not until she was old enough so that they wouldn't be too exhausted while taking care of her and her sibling. As fate would be, they found out about Tecna's pregnancy when she was over 3 years old, a good enough age so they hadn't been too scared. Now when the doctor told them that they were having twins, they were a little unsure and as it turned out, twins were a handful of work. But they managed, thanks to their friends help.

"Is it Al or So who's making this scandal?" Riven asked him curiously and the answer came when Timmy picked up the baby girl with orange hair and teal eyes named Sophie. Both she and her brother, named Albert, were 10 months old, so they had reached a phase where they demanded even more care than before. It can't be said that the technology couple were enjoying it much.

"Shh. Calm down, baby girl, daddy's right here." Timmy cooed and slowly, the little girl's cries died down, only to be replaced by another little girl of 3 months.

"You're kidding me." Riven complained while looking at yet another crib that had been placed by Nabu's side, where his and Musa's youngest child had been sleeping peacefully until then. Her name was Melody, after Musa's home planet, and she had her mother's hair and eyes.

"I still believe that they're actually smart robots that are meant to know exactly when to annoy us." Timmy told them and Brandon and Helia rolled their eyes at his ridiculous theory about babies.

"I'm starting to think that you might be right, Timmy." Riven replied while he approached the crib in order to pick up Melody. "I think she's hungry, do you know where Musa is, Flo?" He asked the nature fairy, who nodded.

"She's in Aisha's chambers giving a bath to Nick." She replied and Riven looked at the screaming baby girl.

"Guess that's where we'll be going." He said and Timmy stood up.

"Me too, she needs to be changed. Can you help me with the crib, Nabu?" He asked mentioning to the fact that carrying Sophie in one arm and the crib on the other would be a much too difficult task.

"Sure, man. Guess the fun's over." The wizard replied and the specialists looked around the room with sad smiles. Afterwards, Nabu, Riven and Timmy left towards Aisha's chambers, leaving Thoren, Helia, Flora, Brandon and the remaining children.

"Are we still going to the beach?" Liam asked them impatiently.

"Of course, sweetie. I'm sorry that we're taking so long." The nature fairy told him gently while Helia handed Ellie over to Brandon. Just as they were about to leave, Rose broke the silence in the room by crying.

"Go, I'll take care of her." Thoren advised them and the couple looked unsure.

"Okay, if she's hungry there's a bottle on her bag and diapers too." Flora advised and she and Helia cast him thankful smiles before leaving with Liam and Will.

"Guess it's just us." Brandon commented nervously while he sat down with Elena.

"Yep. Tell me, how has Aaron been?" Thoren asked him while he rocked baby Rose.

"Terrible. I don't know how Stella does it." Was Brandon's reply and they laughed while thinking of the mischievous little boy.

"So far Maggie's been great, she's only one year old, so she's not running around yet." Thoren told him and he nodded before they fell silent. The two men weren't all that close and there wasn't much for them to discuss. The ringing of a phone broke the silence and the king of Domino found a message from his wife. "Looks like we'll be getting some company. Daphne's coming with Maggie and Emma, since Bloom and Sky wanted some time for themselves." He told the brunette specialist, who nodded. Emma was Bloom and Sky's one year old daughter and their only child. The couple had had trouble conceiving and so it took a while for them to start having children.

Back with Flora and Helia...

They walked along the beach while Liam ran happily in front of them. It was nearly sunset and the sky was painted in many colors. As they passed by the entrance of the castle, they met Miele and David, who had just arrived. After a few hugs the younger couple decided to go into the castle and so Flora and Helia resumed their walk on the beach. Apparently, they weren't the only ones who decided to do so.

Not far ahead, they could see two figures talking. The closest one they guessed to be Roxy due to the long pink hair. The other one surely was her boyfriend of 3 years, Manuel, a specialist at Red Fountain that she had met on her last year at Alfea. They had become friends, but he had been called back to his home planet for a family emergency and they didn't see each other for months. About an year later, Manuel went to Earth to meet her and explain to her everything about his absence. They regained their friendship and soon it turned into something more.

"We should say hi to them." Flora suggested while passing Will to Helia, haven't gotten tired of carrying him around.

"I think they prefer to be alone right now." The blue haired specialist mused while looking at the couple. They couldn't hear their conversation, but it seemed to be a heated one since there was a certain distance between them.

"Yeah, you're right. We'll say hello later." She agreed before they heard the sound of splashing. "Oh, no." She looked back at the ocean with her heart hammering in her chest, but a relieved smile came upon her face when she saw that Liam was sitting on the sand and getting started on a sandcastle.

"Auntie Flora, come help me build a huuuge sandcastle." He called and the nature fairy stopped staring at the ocean and went to him. She sat down by his side and used her magic to conjure a few shovels. Helia, however, remained where he was for he saw the reason for the splashing sound. It was a huge dolphin that had jumped, but unlike any other, on top of him was a magical band that read 'Will You Marry Me'.

"Wow." He stared at the band in amazement before his eyes fell upon Manuel, who had kneeled down. "Flora, look!" He urged the nature fairy and she followed his line of vision.

"Oh My God!" She screamed before covering her mouth and young Liam looked confused, not having picked up on what was happening.

The next thing they knew, Roxy and Manuel were embracing each other and kissing. It was a beautiful moment, almost perfect, and Flora felt happy for her friend. After a few minutes, the young couple started walking towards the castle and it didn't take them long to spot the trio.

"Flora, Helia! I'm so happy to see you." The fairy of animals greeted them with the largest smile and Flora stood up to give her a hug while Helia greeted her with his head, since little Will had just fallen asleep and any sudden movements could wake him up.

"Hey, guys. How are you doing?" Manuel asked, looking just as dreamy and happy as Roxy was.

"We're doing great, but what about you guys? Any news you want to tell us?" Flora suggestively asked and Roxy looked confused.

"How did you know?" She asked them and the nature fairy laughed.

"We could see you guys from here." She replied and understanding came upon the young couple's face. "Congratulations, you two. I couldn't be happier for you." Flora and Roxy hugged tightly while the younger fairy giggled.

"Thanks, Flo. Neither could I." Afterwards they spent a few minutes admiring the ring while the two man made small talk. Soon Helia and Flora's phone beeped with a message from Tecna, letting them know that the party was going to start soon and the should be getting back to the castle.

"Well, I'm afraid that we need to get going, Liam." Flora told the young boy who had been building his castle and ignoring the adults' conversation.

"But I haven't finished my castle yet." He complained and they looked at him sympathetically.

"I know, sweetheart. How about tomorrow we come here again with your sister and you can build an even bigger and nicer castle?" Helia suggested and Liam's face lightened up.

"I like that idea, uncle Helia." He replied and Helia laughed before standing up with Will still fast asleep in his arms. His phone suddenly beeped again and he looked at his pocket curiously. Since his arms were wrapped around Will, Flora picked it for him.

"It's a message from Krystal. She says that she wasn't able to reach Tecna, but she sends Olivia her best wishes." The nature fairy said while both of them looked at the screen. A strong wind made the phone suddenly drop from her hands and both she and Helia kneeled down to get it. The movement caused little Will to wake up and start crying like it was the end of the world.

"Here you go, auntie Flora." Liam handed the phone and Flora thanked him before taking it. She gave it to Helia while he gave her the little boy, knowing that only she would be able to calm him down.

"Wasn't Krystal invited to the party?" Roxy curiously asked and Flora nodded.

"She was, but she had to stay at home since little Isabella has come down with the flu." She explained and Roxy nodded. Isabella was Krystal and Daniel's 3 years old daughter, who had been born with a head of lavender hair and green eyes. These two had gotten married, strangely enough, a few months before Helia and Flora, when the nature fairy was 6 months pregnant with the twins. They lived in Limphea and became the king and queen shortly after Krystal's mother passed away.

"How strange it is that both Gaia and Bella have come down with the flu this week?" She asked, mentioning to her 4 and a half years old baby sister, Gaia, who lived with Morgana and Rick on Earth. Roxy lived there too, since she had gotten a job at Tir Nan Og school for fairies shortly after her last year at Alfea. It had taken a while, but she had convinced Manuel to move in with her into the former palace and he had gotten himself a job as trainer of the few wizards that soon joined the school.

"I believe it's just a coincidence." Manuel told her and Helia and Flora said nothing on the matter, as their eyes were captured by the beautiful scenario.

"The sunset. It's so beautiful." Flora said and Helia walked closer to her and wrapped an arm around her.

"You're beautiful." He complimented and she leaned in to kiss him. They heard Liam making disgusting noises from behind them and pulled apart, laughing.

"This is perfect. The perfect ending to this amazing day." Flora commented and Helia smiled.

"I have a feeling that the day is only beginning, just as our lives are only beginning." He replied and they decided to watch the sunset in silence, with Roxy and Manuel doing the same.

Not so far away...

A man ran his fingers through the pages of the book, his expression changing with each picture he saw. The room was silent, no one else was there with him, but he didn't care. He didn't care that he was alone, having gotten used to it over the years. Solitude was great for thinking and forming plans.

"Look at them, so happy." He mocked while his eyes fell on the pictures of Olivia's fifth birthday, where the Winx and specialists danced, laughed, celebrated. Upon arriving at the picture of Flora and Helia, the small smile that had been on his face fell.

"Too bad it won't last for long, after all, happiness is just an illusion." He sadly commented before sighing. After taking a sip of his drink, he resumed his readings until he met the final page of the book. He read those two ironic words, "THE END", and he laughed bitterly.

"The story's far from over." He mused silently before closing the book. The title, "Tales of the Winx", was painted in dark red and there was a picture of the six fairies and their sweethearts on the cover. The man looked at his watch and he sighed once again. "It's time to get to work." He took the book and hid it in the closet located in the left side of the badly lit room. After using green magic to lock it, he looked around the room for a few seconds before leaving, making sure to lock the door.

THE END. Or maybe not. Who knows?

I'm sure that this chapter might have been a little confusing, with all the kids, so I made this list to help you. I probably should have posted this at the beginning of the chapter, but it contains some spoilers. Hope everyone enjoyed the names I chose and here you'll also see their meanings and where I came up with them.

Flora and Helia Family

They got married a few weeks after the twins were born.

twins 6 months old: William aka Will and Rose ( you know where I came up with them). Both have Flora's green eyes, Helia's hair and light skin.

Miele: 18 years old. Dating a guy named David (Once Upon A Time Reference). Close to graduating from Alfea.

Catherine +Henry: He decided to relinquish his title as king after a visit from his aunt, Margaret of Navarre, her 20 years old daughter, Jeanne III of Navarre and her husband, William, duke of Jülich-Cleves-Berge. Henry offered them the chance to rule France and they eagerly accepted it. Him and Catherine were granted a mansion in Bourbon where they lived with young Claude. They also got married about a year after Bloom and Sky, with Flora and Helia's presence.

Claude: Over 8 years old. Looking more like Isabella than ever, though she has Henry's green eyes. She and Flora are friends and she adores her older sister and also Mary.

Mary: She has just started a relationship with Nex, who was chosen to be the head of the guards in Andros after Nabu and Aisha took the throne. Nex and Aisha are also friends. Mary has finally been able to move on from Will, though she still holds him close to her heart, as do Flora. Every year, on his birthday, they go to his grave together and share stories of happy moments shared with him.

Greer and Leith: they have a 2 years old daughter, Aylee (in honor of her dead friend) and a 2 months son, Damon (gentle), in honor of Damon Salvatore. Greer was coached by Nostradamus and now is able to use her powers greatly. Later she found out that she was a fairy of light, like Stella. Her and Leith constantly visit the Winx, specially during great days such as weddings and births.

Lola and Colin: They have their son, John Claude, who's about 5 years old and his little brother, Julian, of 3 years old. Both are brunettes, though the older one has Lola's blue eyes while the younger one has brown eyes like his father.

Kenna and Bash: They're married and with a 1 year old son, Charles (free man), in honor of the emperor Charles V or Charles I of Spain. They moved to Florence a few months after Tecna and Timmy's wedding since his father was chosen as the mayor after the death of Alexander de Medicci. They live in a great mansion with their baby boy and they constantly visit the Winx.

Bloom and Sky Family

They got married five months after chapter 32, on July 17th.

Emma (universal), after Emma Swan (Once Upon A Time Reference): blonde hair and blue eyes. 1 and a half year old.

Musa and Riven Family

They got married 3 months after Bloom and Sky.

Melody aka Mel, after Musa's home planet: blue hair and dark blue eyes. 3 months old

Nicholas aka Nick, in honor of Nicolas Gombert: dark blue eyes and hair that is a mix between Musa and Riven (so, purple). 2 years old

Stella and Brandon Family

They got married when Aaron was 1 year old. They became the king and queen of Solaria a few weeks before he was born.

Elena aka Ellie (shining light), after Elena Gilbert (Vampire Diaries Reference): mini Stella. 5 days old

Aaron (enlightened), in honor of Aaron Hotchner (Criminal Minds Reference): brown hair and eyes. 4 and a half years old. BORN ON THE DAY OF BLOOM AND SKY'S WEDDING.

Aisha and Nabu Family

They became the king and queen of Andros a few weeks after Bloom and Sky's wedding.

Lana: 5 and a half years old

Liam (absolute protection), after Liam Hemsworth: Violet eyes and curly brown hair. 2 and a half years old

+Aisha's 6 months pregnant with her third child. They're still debating on whether they should name him Morgan ( from the shore of the sea) or Jaleh (rain).

Daphne and Thoren Family

They got married 8 months before the events of chapter 33. They also took the throne of Domino on that same day.

They're married they have a baby girl, Margaret aka Maggie (pearl), in honor of Princess Margaret, sister of Henry VIII of England. She has light brown hair and green eyes. 1 year old.

Tecna and Timmy Family

Sophie, in honor of my sister and Albert, after Albert Einstein: twins with orange hair and teal eyes. 10 months old

Olivia: pink hair and teal eyes, a mini Tecna. 5 years old. Birthday Girl

Roxy Family

She's now engaged to Manuel, a student at Red Fountain. She lives on Earth where she gained a job as a teacher in the Tir Nan Og college for fairies.

She gained a little sister, Gaia, named after the goddess nature. She has light brown hair and brown eyes. She's 4 and a half years old.

I guess that's it, people. Thanks so much for staying with me until the end. Or well, maybe not the end. There might be a sequel, if I'm able to come up with enough ideas. 

Did you guys like this chapter? I tried to make it mostly fluff, something unusual for me, so I'm a little unsure. Also, what are your thoughts on the names I chose for the children?

On a completely unrelated note, has anyone watched Beauty and the Beast? I am totally obsessed with this movie and have watched it 3 times already!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the end of the first chapter. I'll let you know that I don't know much about pregnancy, so if some things are incorrect that's why. What did you think? What is Flora hiding? Who's Will? And what will happen next? Leave your thoughts in your reviews


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